GH 2nd Generation: Heartache and New Possibilites
by Jennyanydot
Summary: Port Charles is pretty wild in 2009. Take a look at the future of the city twenty-eight years from now. Features assorted characters past and present. Futuristic and completely fictional! Enjoy!
1. Remembering The Pain

**Okay, this is my first GH fanfic and only my second story ever, so bear with me. A little background information…Mattie was born in October of 2008 and was not born with HIV, much to everyone's relief. Robin and Patrick married the following year and proceeded to have two more children (daughter Mackenzie Anna in 2012 and son Andrew Robert in 2015). Neither child contracted HIV during birth. Robin's HIV status changed to AIDS in 2026, when Mattie was 18 years old. She later died in 2029. This story begins in 2036, when Mattie in 28 years old, although it may contain flashbacks. Mattie is now a doctor at General Hospital. Mackenzie is 24 and is in medical school at PCU and Andrew is 21 and is in college. Please read the story and review. Thanks so much!**

Matilda Georgianna Drake stared at the snowy ground. Biting her lip, she held back the tears that threatened to fall. She wasn't about to let them fall, not for a second. She couldn't, she just couldn't let herself grieve. She would not _let _herself cry over the mother she'd loved. At least not where anyone could see her.

She jumped as a hand touched her shoulder. Turning around, she saw her Aunt Maxie Jones- Spinelli standing behind her. "Are you alright?" she asked, concerned over her niece.

Mattie shrugged. "I don't know. It's so hard. Even after all these years, I still can't help but wish she was still here."

Maxie nodded and reached over to hug the young woman. "I know what you mean. There are still times when I think 'oh, I should call Georgie and tell her this or that'," she said quietly. "But in your case, it hasn't been that long," she reminded.

"I know. But it feels like it's been years," Mattie said, turning around and walking out of the cemetery. Maxie caught up with her.

"Wait…Mattie…where are you going? Wait, I'll go with you," Maxie huffed, catching her breath as she raced after her long-legged niece. Obviously, Mattie had gotten her height and long legs from her father because Robin had been only a couple inches above five feet.

"I have to be at the hospital in an hour. I agreed to work the night shift tonight," Mattie replied, striding to her car and opening the door.

"Why are you working tonight? You should be with your dad tonight. You can't bury yourself in your work and hope to forget. It doesn't work, Mattie—I should know," Maxie chastised. She hurried around to the other side of the car and opened the door. Sliding in just as Mattie gunned the engine, she sighed. Obviously, the hiding and burying was working for Mattie.

Mattie arrived at the hospital and raced inside, Maxie at her heels. She hurried into the elevator and stabbed the button. Half a minute later, she arrived on the fifth floor and stalked into the locker room to change her clothes, completely ignoring the pleasant hello of Elizabeth Morgan.

Mattie practically ran through the door and toward her locker. Whipping it open, she reached for her scrubs. Furiously biting back tears, she tugged off her jeans. Nothing would stop the tears. She covered her face and leaned against the locker. As the tears fell, she lost all feeling in her legs and collapsed to the floor. Her sobs filled the room as she cried for herself, for her father, for all the time that she'd refused to cry since that day.

__

_**Flashback…**_

_Mattie watched from the doorway. She couldn't bear to go in any further. It wasn't the disease that scared her. After all, she was a mere years of schooling from becoming a doctor. It was the blatant fact that the patient wasn't just a face in a room or a name on a file, it was her mother. Her own mother, in that bed, dying from that disease. A disease that had always been a reality in her own life. _

_From the moment, she had been born, Mattie had been told that she was a miracle child. Robin had suffered from HIV since her teenage years and had defied the disease by going to college and becoming a doctor and ultimately becoming a mother. Everyone knew that a pregnancy when the mother was HIV positive was a risk. Even with drug therapies and good prenatal care, there was still a chance that the baby could contact HIV through the birthing process. _

_But Robin had defied the odds, by not only choosing to become a mother, but by becoming a mother three times over. And somehow, none of her children had contracted the dreaded disease. Everything had been perfect…until the odds changed and fate caught up with her. _

_And now, she lay on the bed, as white as the sheet. Robin's eyes were closed and her breath was labored. The doctors said not too long now. It wouldn't be too long before she was gone. Mattie blinked back tears and leaned against the door jam. _

_As if she heard her, Robin's eyes fluttered open and she turned toward the door. She smiled a tired smile. "What are you doing out there? Come in here," she said softly. _

_Mattie took a tentative step inside. For the first time in her life, she hated the hospital. She hated the sterile cleanliness of it, the sadness and sickness. But giving in to the illness, she walked, heavy-footed, over to the bed. Taking a seat in the chair, she reached for her mother's frail hand. _

_Robin reached over and brushed a hand down her daughter's cheek. "Oh my girl, it's okay. It's okay to feel sad. You need to grieve. I know, I went though it with Stone all those years ago. You will get past it—my-my death," she finished breathlessly, as if she'd just run out of steam. _

_"I can't Mom, it's not fair. Why does it have to happen? Why now?" Mattie sobbed; break her personal rule of not crying in front of her mother. _

_"Oh Mattie, you knew that this would happen someday. It was inevitable. Even I knew that I would be here someday. And no, it isn't fair, but it's not your fault. It was a choice that was made for me a long time before you were even born," Robin whispered. She reached up touched her daughter's hair. This precious child was the child that she had wanted for so long and now she was being forced to give it all up. _

_Mattie nodded, but continued to sob. "I know, but it's still not fair. I need you. I can't lose you. Not yet."_

_"Mattie, you are not losing me forever. I will always be with you. Remember that, sweetheart," Robin's voice died as she grew tired. _

_"I love you Mom."_

_"I love you too, sweetheart. You need to be strong, for your dad, your brother and sister, for Mac and your grandparents. Please don't cry over me," Robin asked, wiping the tears from Mattie's face. _

_Mattie leaned over and placed a kiss on her mother's cheek as Robin's eyes closed again. She grew tired easily these days, a sure sign that the end was near. She stood up and walked toward the door, wiping her tears as she went. She would do what her mother had asked and be strong for her family…at least on the outside. Someday, she would be able to cry over her loss, but now was not the time. _

_**End Flashback…**_

__Even after all these years, Mattie still couldn't bring herself to cry. It was as if she wanted to honor Robin's wish for strength. Even if it was to the extreme.

Mattie huddled on the floor and let her tears fall. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. Glancing up, she looked into the eyes of her father. Patrick gave a small smile and knelt on the floor beside her.

"I was wondering when this would happen," he murmured, pulling her into his arms and stroking her back.

"Oh Daddy, why?" she sobbed, leaning into him.

"I wish I knew, baby," Patrick said, rubbing a hand down her sable colored hair—identical to her mother and the love of his life. Her question baffled him. It was one he'd been asking himself since Robin's death. And it was one, he knew, that would continue to perplex him for as long as he lived.

**Okay, that was a corny ending, I know. But I just couldn't figure out how to end this chapter. That was the one question that was perplexing me for a while. Anyway, is it horrible? I hope not. This story is about Robin's child with Patrick (the one that she is having this coming October). But it will also include the future of General Hospital (the children of the main characters). Please read and review. It helps me be more creative. **


	2. Love Can Hurt at Times

**Okay, so how good was my story. If people are reading it, I haven't received many reviews. Anyway, I've made a couple changes from the first chapter. In the first chapter, at the top of the page, I said that Robin's second daughter Mackenzie was in medical school. Now she's not. She's working for Kate at Crimson because she apparently inherited her Aunt Maxie's love of fashion. Also, I did a little research on AIDS and found that once a person actually contracts AIDS, they would only live a few months to a year. So Robin died in 2027, fifteen months after the AIDS diagnosis. Hope that is okay with everyone. Also, please ask questions if you are wondering something. I do have a question for my readers though: should Elizabeth Weber be with Lucky or Jason in the future? I can't decide. I did say in the first chapter "Elizabeth Morgan", but that was after some intense internal debate. So I could use some help for that. Please read and review. Thanks so much! **

Loss was difficult. It was probably the most difficult thing a person had to go through in life. Unfortunately, loss of some kind was inevitable. If Maxie Jones-Spinelli was sure of one thing, it was that.

She sighed as she climbed out of the car and walked heavy-hearted into the house. Careful to move quietly, she shucked her coat and scarf and hung them in the hall closet. She wished there was something she could do for her niece. Mattie had already gone through so much and there was nothing she could do to lessen the blow on her. The problem was that Mattie didn't grieve well. She wouldn't cry in front of people. She had refused to cry at Robin's bedside in those last few moments and later at the funeral, she held her sister as Mackenzie cried, but would not let her tears fall.

So now, on the anniversary of Robin's death, Mattie took it harder than anyone else. And Maxie didn't know how to console her.

Maxie walked into the living room and sat down in the dim light of the room. Spinelli had left the light on for her, knowing that she would be late. Thank God for him. If there was one person she could count on, it was her husband. After they'd gotten though Spinelli's awkward years as "the jackal", they had realized that they were meant for each other. And Maxie had never regretted it.

Even today they were going strong. She still couldn't believe that it had been more than twenty years since they had said their vows. And people had said that she was too flighty to hold on to a good thing. Well, Maxie Jones-Spinelli had shown them, hadn't she?

A creak of the floorboard startled her and she glanced back to see Spinelli shuffling down the stairs. She smiled and stood up to meet him.

"Hi Handsome," she said grinning, kissing his lips.

"Maximista, how's the sad doctor?" he joked in what many called "Spinelli speak". He'd quit talking like that long ago for the most part. When their first child was born, he didn't want the baby to grow up speaking like that. Now it was mostly reserved for her, or in some cases, Jason, just to remind him of the past.

"Oh Spinelli, I don't know. I just can't get through to her," Maxie said, walking across the room and reaching for a framed photograph taken when Mattie had been a child. It was of Robin, Patrick and the children one Christmas.

"You're a good aunt, Max," Spinelli said, taking the photograph from her hands and peering at it. "But you can't fix everything. Some thing's just have a natural course they have to take. Mattie will eventually get past this."

"I know, but I wish I could take her pain away. I know that Robin wouldn't want Mattie to hurt like this," Maxie said, remembering when Robin had found out about the AIDS.

**Flashback…**

_Maxie kept thinking about the message Robin had left on her cell phone. She'd sounded strange. Not urgent or worried, just different. And that made Maxie worry, so she'd practically begged Kate to let her leave early so she could meet Robin at Jake's. _

_She stepped out of the car and hurried into the building. It was dimly lit and slightly smoky, but carried a lot of memories of good times. She saw Robin sitting at a table with a mineral water in front of her. _

_"Hey," she said, reaching the table. Robin looked up at her and Maxie was startled to see tears in her eyes. _

_Robin smiled. "Thanks for coming so quickly."_

_Maxie nodded, "What's wrong sweetie? Is it your mom, your dad?" She motioned to Coleman for a mineral water and took a seat across the table from her cousin. Robin shook her head. _

_Robin bit her lip as she waged an internal debate on how to tell Maxie. Finally she knew that she would just have to come out and say it. "I had my blood test today, for the HIV," she began, taking a small sip of the water. Maxie nodded and thanked Coleman when he set the bottle of water in front of her. _

_"So? That's a regular occurrence, right?" _

_"I-I-yes, but its different now," Robin said quietly. She glanced away, unsure of how to continue. Oh God, if it was this difficult with her cousin, she could only imagine how it would be to tell Patrick and her kids. What about her parents? And Uncle Mac? She wished that she could just die now and get it over with. _

_Maxie looked suspicious. "How different?" She reached over and grabbed Robin's hand, which had become very cold all of a sudden. _

_"My T-cells are very low."_

_Maxie frowned. "What does that mean Robin? I'm not a doctor, inform me."_

_Robin took a deep breath and decided to take the plunge. "My HIV status has changed into AIDS."_

_Maxie's eyes widened in surprise and she dropped Robin's hand as if it had burned her. "What?"_

_"I have AIDS. It's only a matter of time now," Robin said simply, her voice hollow as if she were talking from the end of a tunnel. _

_"What?" Maxie was practically screaming now. She quieted when the only other customer in the bar cleared their throat in response. _

_Robin nodded sadly. "You are the first person I've told. I don't know how to tell Patrick or the kids. Or Mac for that matter. I don't know how to break the news that I'm dying," she whispered. _

_"Oh my God, Robin…" Maxie breathed, unsure of what to say. _

_"I know. I always knew that it would come to this. I mean, I went through this with Stone. I knew that it would eventually end like this, but I'm not ready. I don't want to leave my family behind. Not like Stone left me behind, because I know how it feels to watch someone you love die of a disease that has no cure. I can't let my family go through that." She took a sip of her water and reached for Maxie's hand. _

_"I'm so sorry Robin," Maxie said. It was a stupid thing to say in a time like this, but it was all she could think of at the moment. _

_"So am I." Robin stood up and laid money on the table. "I have to go, Max. I need to find Patrick and tell him. Thanks for coming. I-I'll call you later. Please don't tell anyone, not yet. I need to find a way to break the news to Patrick first, Okay?"_

_Maxie nodded and got to her feet. She took a step forward and pulled Robin into a hug. "No problem. Let me know if you need any help, okay? I'm here for you."_

_Robin nodded and wiped at the tears that threatened to fall. She waved and walking out of the bar. Maxie stared after her and wondered what just happened. Robin was dying. It was inevitable, of course, but so soon? Too soon. _

**End Flashback…**

It had been too soon. It wasn't fair that Robin had to lose all that she'd worked so hard for. Maxie set the photo back on the table and turning, wrapped her arms around her husband.

"I wish that I could take the pain away from Mattie," she said, her voice muffled in his shoulder.

"I know, but pain in inevitable. She will have to come to terms with Robin's death in her own time," Spinelli replied, and Maxie knew he was right. Sighing, she pulled back.

"I'm going to bed, you coming?" Spinelli nodded and together they ascended the stairs. At the top, she stopped and pushed open the door to her daughter's room. She crept inside and walked around the piles of clothing. Her daughter was lying with her head at the end of the bed with the covers strewn all over the floor. One thing for sure, Fiona definitely took after her mother and not her Aunt Georgie. That would something they always laughed at because Fiona's sister Julia was the picture of her late aunt. How times changed, Maxie thought as she walked to the bed and placed a gentle kiss on her little girl's head, before pulling the blanket up and taking the headphones out of her ears.

Spinelli watched from the doorway as Maxie made her way out of the room and across the hall where Julia Spinelli slept. Her room was in perfect order, the exact opposite from Fiona's. Julia lay perfectly straight, still hugging her favorite stuffed animal, a testament to her childhood. Maxie dropped a kiss on her forehead and walked out, making her way to the end of the hall where Spinelli was waiting for her in their bedroom.

She made quick work of getting ready for bed, and still thinking of her niece, she fell asleep in her husband's arms. Tomorrow was another day. She had plenty of time to try and 

get though her niece's hard head. Someday, Mattie would be able to forgive and forget the pain that Robin's death had brought. All Maxie could say was that it would hopefully be soon.

**Okay, please read and review. Should Elizabeth be married to Jason or Lucky…or someone else…in the future? I need suggestions. How about the lives of the other character's? I'm thinking of putting Mattie and Morgan Corinthos together because their mothers were such enemies. Oh, how fate will always catch up with you! Anyway, please review!**


	3. The Life and Times of Alexis' Daughters

**Sorry for not updating. I had some technical difficulties recently that caused me to be without a computer for several days and to lose everything that was on the computer. My hard-drive failed and had to be fixed. Therefore, I lost the chapter that I was working on and had to rewrite it. Please read and review. I like reviews because it shows me that people are actually reading my story! Above all, enjoy the story!**

"I hate party-planning," Molly Lansing-Davis muttered, as she went over the guest list for the ten-thousandth time in the last three hours. _The names aren't changing_, she thought to herself, careful to not let say her thoughts allowed, heaven forbid if her cousin were to overhear. Spencer was bound and determined to plan the perfect party. The best one Wyndemere had seen since the terrible Black and White Ball of 2007. And as there was little that Molly wouldn't do for her cousin—including giving up her Friday nights to help him with the planning—she intended to make it happen.

"Why did you offer to help if you hate party-planning?" Spencer looked up at her as he replaced the phone on its base. There, the flowers were done. They'd be delivered on the day of the party and set up by the staff. Spencer shook his head as he thought of the multitude of tasks still remaining on his list.

Molly looked shocked. "Because I'm a nice cousin."

Spencer raised an eyebrow at her. "Right…"

"And because Matthew is out of town tonight and I have nothing else to do," she added quickly, looking down furiously at her list.

"I thought so," Spencer said and then frowned. "Why is Matthew out of town? Again? He should just go back to Llanview since he's there so often,"

"Spence…" Molly replied warningly. She knew that her older cousin disapproved of her dating someone so much older. But as always, she paid little attention to what people said about her personal life.

"Ok, ok. I'll lay off, but I still don't have to like him," Spencer held his hands up in defeat.

Molly smiled coyly. "Well, if I have anything to do with it, you will have to at least tolerate him."

"What?" Spence yelled, clearly surprised. "Are you engaged?"

Molly shook her head. "No, no…at least not yet. We're still in the discussing stages. But I'm not getting any younger and neither is he. I'm already thirty and Matthew's pushing forty-five. We still want to have kids someday, so we figure that if we are going to get married, we'd better do it soon. Besides, we've been dating for seven years already."

"Really? Has it been that long?" Spence asked sarcastically. He had always thought that Matthew Buchanan was too old for his slightly younger cousin, but Molly wouldn't listen.

"I really don't think that you should be ribbing me out my relationships when you are dating an older woman," Molly's eyes twinkled as she spoke. Spencer could tell that she was going to begin the teasing soon.

"Leave Miranda out of the equation, Mol. It's better etiquette for a man to date an older woman and for a woman to date an older man."

Molly gave an unladylike snort. "Oh please, that is so not true. You just don't like Matthew because he is twelve years older than me. Anyway, where is Miranda tonight? Isn't the ball a fundraiser for her foundation? She should be planning it with you,"

"Miranda was called away on business. She's in France dealing with a major buy-out for Fusion. Between Crimson and Fusion, she stays very busy, not to mention the foundation," Spence replied.

"I know how she feels. In fact, I am also a go-between for the two companies now. I have a meeting tomorrow with Kendall Slater in the Metrocourt about featuring Fusion's new perfume in Crimson's winter issue. I have executive authority to do whatever Mrs. Slater wants to get permission."

"I'm sure that you can do it. But why are you doing business on a Saturday? I'm surprised that Kendall Slater agreed to come to Port Charles on a weekend," Spencer replied, standing up to refill their coffee cups from the hot pot that James, Alfred's predecessor, had brought in.

"I know, but Kate doesn't take time off…ever. And she doesn't expect her staff to do so either, so I'm stuck working. It's funny, but I remember when she was pregnant with her second child. I had just started working there and she had gone into labor but was still worried about the cover page. Sonny had to practically drag her to the hospital before she had the baby in the office," Molly laughed, remembering her early days at Crimson. But you had to admit, hard work did pay off and thanks for Kate's dedication, Crimson was the leading fashion magazine in the country.

Spence stifled a yawn and shook his head. "The seating charts are making my eyes cross," he muttered, taking a gulp of coffee.

Molly stood up. "Listen, if you don't mind, I'm going to head home. I have to be up early tomorrow for the breakfast meeting."

"Sure, that's fine. Thanks Moll, for all your help. I really appreciate it. Sometimes I think that I'm over my head, but if my father could do this, then why can't I?"

"You are doing fine. And the ball is going to be great. Are your dad and Nadine coming?" Molly asked, allowing her cousin to help her with her coat. Nicholas and Nadine had married in 2012 and nowadays spent most of their time in Greece where Nadine worked at one of their free clinics. They had two other children in addition to Spencer, but both girls lived with their parents, whereas Spencer preferred to live alone in the big house on Spoon Island and working for the Cassadine family.

"Yes, they'll be here. Natasha and Laura are very excited to come back to Port Charles," Spencer replied, thinking of his two sisters, ages sixteen and fourteen, respectively. He walked into the foyer and opened the door for Molly.

"Are you okay to walk down to the launch by yourself?"

Molly looked at him skeptically. "Of course. I'll be fine. Bye, Spence, see you soon," she said, stepping up to kiss his cheek. She waved as she walked down the steps toward the launch. Spencer watched her until he couldn't see her anymore. Sighing, he walked back into the study to get back to work. It wasn't nearly as fun without Molly though. She always seemed to bring light to the place whenever she was here.

Wyndemere was so gloomy. He didn't know how his father managed to live here for so long without going crazy. The only reason he lived here was because he wanted to live in Port Charles and because his father owned the house, it had seemed like the logical place. But a party was just the thing to bring life back into the place and he was determined to plan the perfect one that would be memorable in a good way.

XXXXXXX

Dr. Kristina Corinthos-Davis Manning loved Saturdays. She loved them because it was a free day. She could do whatever she wanted for one whole day. And right now, she couldn't think of anything better to do than to play with her kids.

She stood at the edge of the yard and watched as her eight-year-old son pulled her six-year-old daughter to the ground in an attempt to wrestle the soccer ball away from his sister.

"Okay, okay, Michael that's not okay. Taylor is a lot smaller than you. She can't fight like you do," Kristina yelled, over the fray. "But…I can TICKLE you," She added, running to the tumbling children and falling beside them. She knew that Taylor was very ticklish, so she was fair game.

"Say my name!" she called, tickling the girl mercilessly.

"Mom, mom, mommy!" the little girl yelled, her giggling distorting the words.

"What's going on here?" a voice from behind them asked. Kristina looked up to see her mother standing at the edge of the grass.

Alexis Davis-Jax had definitely aged well. She looked much younger that her nearly sixty years of age. Her face was smooth and her hair—thanks to monthly salon appointments—was still light brown in color and as thick as always. She had also kept her trim shape, which was the direct result of thrice-weekly palates session—and in Kristina's personal opinion—personal happiness. After Alexis had married Jerry Jax, she had just seemed like an all around happier person. Although opinions had longed been mixed on _that _relationship.

"Grandma!" the children yelled in unison and raced up to hug her. She laughed as her arms went around both children. They then went back to their impromptu soccer game. Kristina stood up and brushed herself off. She walked over to Alexis and hugged her as well.

"How are you Mom?" she asked as they walked over to the porch swing and sat down.

Alexis sighed. "Oh I'm good. It's been a stressful week at the DA's office though. Some day's I think to myself 'why don't I just retire?' But I can't."

"Why not? It's not like you are not passed the age. You passed that point a while ago," Kristina replied, taking a good look at her mother. Despite Alexis' good looks, if you looked close enough, you could see the way that age streaked through her body.

"Because, I am not going to leave the law and order of Port Charles in the hands of anybody," Alexis replied, as if Kristina was daft for asking such a question. She slanted a look at her daughter. "But…if one of my daughters would have thought to go to law school, that decision would be so much easier to make."

Kristina snorted. "As if you could get Molly anywhere near a classroom. I seem to recall a time where just getting her to graduate high school was a chore in itself. And I love medicine too much to even think about law school."

Alexis sighed. "I should have known that letting you shadow Robin Scorpio in high school was a bad idea. You took one look at the hospital and turned your back to any other career opportunities," She said.

Kristina grew quiet. Alexis glanced at her and saw a pensive look on her daughter's face. "What's wrong Kris?"

"Yesterday was the nine year anniversary of Robin's death," she replied quietly. She looked out over the yard, remembering her time in high school when she'd spent every available moment at the hospital badgering the nurses and doctors about medicine.

"Oh sweetheart, I didn't know," Alexis said quietly. She reached for Kristina's hand and held it in hopes of comforting her daughter.

"She was my role model. I wanted to be just like her. I never understood how someone so nice, so wonderful, could just die of a disease of which they had no control over."

"You know Kris, Robin had come to terms with her HIV long ago. She had it for a long time before anything changed," Alexis added.

"I know. Robin was so proud of me. I remember when I graduated from medical school. You'd think that I was one of her own kids. But she never got the chance to see me as a successful doctor," Kristina said, wiping a tear from her eye.

"She never doubted that you wouldn't be successful. She didn't have to see it, it was already evident, even then," Alexis said, hugging her daughter to her. Just then, Taylor raced up the steps to them.

"Mommy? Why are you crying?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm not crying, sweetie," Kristina said, hugging her daughter to her. "Come one, get your brother and get cleaned up. We have to meet Daddy at Kelly's for breakfast."

It was a Saturday tradition for Kristina and the kids to meet Jack at Kelly's for breakfast because, as a doctor, he often worked the night shift of Friday nights. Then he would go home to sleep for a while.

"Okay!" Taylor yelled. "Come on Michael, we hafta' change to go to Kelly's!" She raced inside with her brother at her heels.

Kristina turned to her mother. "Mom, you can come too, if you want."

But Alexis shook her head. "Oh no. It's a family thing. Besides, I said that I would drop in on Sam and Lucky this morning. And I'm meeting Diane at the Metrocourt for lunch. I'll see you later. Give my love to the kids and Jack." She stood up and walked across the gravel toward her car. Even after all these years, Diane Miller-Giambetti and Alexis had remained friends even though they were often on opposing legal sides as Diane continued to act as lawyer for Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan, although both men were no longer in the mob, per se. Kristina gave one last wave before disappearing inside after her children. Yes, Saturdays were definitely the best days of the week.

**Okay, so that chapter wasn't really about Mattie Drake, but she's coming. I have so much fun deciding the futures for the GH characters and as most of Port Charles is an interconnected web, it should be a problem or take away from the original story. I have a question for my readers: should Morgan Corinthos be Mattie's boyfriend? Also, should Michael have awoken from his coma, or not? Either way, you should review and answer the questions. If you haven't noticed, I incorporated characters from both ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Also some of the same businesses are interconnected as well. Okay, so now that you've finished reading, you should review. Hope you enjoyed the update!**


	4. Love Found

**So…how is my story? I haven't been getting that many reviews, so either not many people are reading my story, or the readers just aren't reviewing. Please, I love hearing from my readers! Anyway, I hope that the updates with be more often (two or three times a week, depending on my work and college schedule). I am having a great time coming up with the futures for the children of today on General Hospital, but if anyone has ideas for storylines…and if they would work in the story itself, I would be happy to use them. I want to incorporate some of the characters from ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE (as I have already done a little bit), so I could use some help with that. Anyway, keep reading and I'll keep writing! Enjoy!**

The glinting of the sun against the window pane woke Mattie. She sat up, disoriented at first. She wasn't in her room at her apartment across from the Metrocourt. She was in her childhood bedroom at her father's house. For one brief wonderful moment, she thought she was a teenager again and very soon, her mother would be up to wake her for school.

But then reality set in and she knew that her wish was not the case. Sighing, Mattie lay back on the bed and was just about to pull the covers back over her head when the bedroom door burst open and her sister raced inside.

One thing was for sure, Mackenzie Drake never did anything at a speed less than fast. She had managed to make her way through high school with very little effort and after a somewhat mandatory four years at Port Charles University (Patrick wanted all his kids to go to college), she worked her way up from office runner to head assistant of Kate Howard-Corinthos at her hit magazine _Crimson_. And right now, Mackenzie had her mind on a mission.

"Mattie, are you okay?" She sat down on the bed, her weight causing it to dip. She reached over and brushed Mattie's hair out of her face.

"I'm fine. It's stupid, really. It's been nine years and I'm just now upset and crying."

"You were strong for everyone else then, Mat. Now it's your turn. Let someone else be strong for you," Mackenzie replied, standing up. "But right now, you have a visitor."

Mattie frowned. "Who?" She couldn't imagine who would visit her at her father's house.

Mackenzie shook her head in disbelief. "What do you mean who? Morgan, of course. He came to rescue you."

"Oh. Well, give me a minute to freshen up. Kenzie, go down and entertain him…nicely," she added as Mackenzie got a sly look on her face. Mackenzie nodded and flounced out of the room, leaving Mattie staring after her and for the first time in a long time, laughing out loud.

XXXXXX

By the time Mattie had brushed her hair and teeth, Mackenzie had Morgan seated on the couch with a cup of coffee in his hand. As she descended the stairs, Mattie realized just why she had fallen in love with Morgan Corinthos-Jax all those years ago when they'd both been children. Or, rather, she'd been a child and he had been an older man with an attitude and a police record. But now, she was a full grown woman and he was a respected businessman who had followed his parent's footsteps into the hotel business.

Morgan looked around and stood up when she reached the bottom of the steps. He walked toward her and offered a hand. She took it and leaned into him as she pulled her into a hug.

"Hey," he muttered into her ear, not wanting to let her go.

"Hi," she murmured, taking some of his strength for herself. She pulled back from him and smiled. "I'm okay, now that you're here."

"I wish you would have called me. I didn't realize what day it was when I agreed to stand in for Jax at the meeting in Milan. But I came home as soon as Maxie called me," Morgan replied, leading her to the couch and pressing a cup of coffee in her hands.

"What? Maxie called you?" Mattie asked confused. _God Bless her, _Mattie thought to herself. She'd have to remember to thank Maxie for knowing exactly what she needed in a time like this.

"Yeah, I got back late last night. I called your apartment, but Sarah said that you were staying with your dad."

"Yes, well. I sort of fell apart at the hospital last night and my always overprotective father thought that I shouldn't be alone," Mattie said sheepishly.

"Well, you shouldn't have been," Patrick said from the doorway as he brought in a plate of coffee cake. "Good Morning Morgan."

"Morning Dr. Drake." Morgan stood up, placed a kiss on Mattie's forehead. "I better get going. How about dinner tonight at the Metrocourt?"

"That would be nice. What time?" Mattie asked, standing up and walking him to the front door.

"I'll pick you up at seven. Should I come here or your place?"

"My apartment. I'm going to go home and shower in a little while. I have some errands to run this morning anyway. I promised Sarah that I'd pick up some milk and bread as we have none," Mattie said as she held open the door for him. He dropped a kiss on her lips, deepening it until Patrick cleared his throat. Morgan gave a little wave and strode off toward his motorcycle.

Mattie turned back to her sister and father and smiled. "I'm fine, you guys. I'm not going to collapse under the pressure."

"Still, maybe you should go see Lainey," Patrick said worriedly. "Just for one session. It might help having someone to talk to who's not directly related."

"I'm _fine_, dad." She looked at her sister. "Will you drop me off at my apartment on your way to the Metrocourt?"

Mackenzie nodded. Mattie turned and raced up the stairs to get her purse and put the room back to rights. When she returned, Mackenzie was in the car and Patrick was waiting to kiss her goodbye.

"See you tomorrow at the hospital?"

"Yes, I'll be there. Bye Daddy. I'm fine, okay?" Mattie said, stepping up and kissing her father on the cheek. With a wave, she walked outside and joined her sister in the car.

XXXXXX

Two hours later, Mattie was sitting in her living room at her apartment with a second cup of coffee in her hands. She had already taken a shower and dressed for the day in a pair of jeans and a PCU sweatshirt.

Her best friend and roommate, Sarah Lansing sat across from her. Although Sarah was more than a year younger that Mattie, they had been in the same class at school and had been friends ever since.

Although their friendship had been challenged somewhat because Sarah was the daughter of Claudia Zacchara and Ric Lansing after a one night stand. Although Claudia had, for the most part, kept her daughter away from Ric because she couldn't stand him. Simply because Sarah was directly related to Anthony, Robin and Patrick hadn't liked Mattie hanging around with her. Though, it had become evident in Sarah's teen years that she wanted nothing to do with the Zacchara family.

"Are you sure that you're all right?" Sarah asked, concerned.

"YES! I'm fine. Why does everyone keep asking that?" Mattie asked, her voice rising with every syllable.

"Well, it's not every day that someone as strong as you breaks down in the hospital locker room," Sarah replied dryly. She then jumped up. "Well, if you are okay, I have a breakfast meeting at the Metrocourt with my father." She made a face. Sarah rarely acknowledged Ric, but when he'd practically begged her to meet with him, she'd complied.

Mattie laughed. "Go. I'll be fine. And having breakfast with your dad isn't that bad."

Sarah raised her eyebrow. "If your father is Ric Lansing, it is."

Mattie waved her away as she stood up to close the door. Although she'd been friends with Sarah since childhood, she couldn't quite wrap her mind around having such a volatile relationship with one's father. She and Patrick had always been close, especially after Robin's death.

With her mind on her mother, she put her cup in the sink and grabbed her purse. She had a number of things to do today before her date with Morgan. And there wasn't a better time to begin than now.

XXXXXX

If there was one thing that made the citizens of Port Charles laugh, it was the irony that was Lila Rae Alcazar.

Despite the fact that she was the only daughter and sole living heir of Lorenzo Alcazar's fortune, she had managed to make her own way in the world. And it was completely legal and unrelated to the mob.

Sort of.

In fact, Lila was in staunch opposition to the mob and the terror it caused. And she had made it her life's work to bring it down for good. So far, she was on the right track. At the age of thirty, she was a graduate of Yale law school with honors and was currently working her way up the ladder in Port Charles in hopes of becoming the District of Attorney, a job that Alexis Davis-Jax had held for over twenty years.

Someday, she would be DA and when that happened, Lila planned to bring down the mob circuit in Port Charles once and for all. But for now, she was content with working as an attorney opposite Diane Miller and Ric Lansing most of the time.

Except for right this moment.

Right now, Lila was in hot pursuit of her knight in shining armor. Well, not so much on the shining armor…or the knight for that matter. But he was certainly good looking and a cop to boot.

Cameron Spencer was definitely hot stuff and Lila wanted him all to herself. Unfortunately, he was oblivious to the fact at the moment.

"How's my favorite police officer today?" Lila said, sliding into the chair at Kelly's. Cameron had his head in his hands and was staring at his breakfast as if he expected it to grow legs and walk away.

And at that moment, Cameron wouldn't doubt anything. He was still working off a bad hangover from a night at Jake's. But at the sound of her sultry voice, he glanced up and tried to look at her through glazed-over eyes.

"What happen, baby?" She asked, concerned. She ran a hand over his dark locks.

"Um," he began, trying to formulate a good answer. "I went to Jake's last night and I sort of drank a little too much," he finished carefully, knowing full well who he was talking to.

"Idiot." She stood up and went to the counter. Reaching behind it for the coffee pot, she walked back to the table and refilled Cam's cup.

"Well, I was having a bad day yesterday."

"And you decided to make it so much better with alcohol," she answered dryly.

"It sounded good at the time," he said, indignantly.

"Yes, I'll be it did." She motioned to Lulu Zacchara—the current owner after Mike had passed away from cancer years before—and ordered a bowl of oatmeal and toast.

Moments later, Lulu brought Lila's order to the table and smiled at her nephew. "What's the matter Cam? Don't you know that alcohol isn't a good mix with the Spencer's?"

He snorted rudely. "As if you didn't get drunk once in a while."

She laughed. "But I was smart enough not to get so drunk that I can't see straight."

"Oh go away, Aunt Lu," Cameron moaned, laying his head down on the table.

"I'm just saying…think next time before you drink too much," Lulu replied, walking away to take another order.

Cameron gulped down his coffee and took a bite of his hash browns. Finally, the caffeine was starting to kick in. _Thank you God, for hot coffee_, he thought to himself. He looked up at Lila and watched her calmly eat her oatmeal.

She was so hot. And for some strange reason, Lila Rae Alcazar was interested in him. He knew that he should romance her, but honestly, he had no idea how to romance a woman as classy as the counselor. _What would Jake do? _He thought to himself. His younger brother was the king of romance and always knew just what to do. Apparently that creative gene had passed over Cameron.

Then it came to him. A dinner date. That was perfect for a first date. Cameron swallowed his food and worked up the courage. "Hey Lila, how about dinner tonight at the Metrocourt?"

She looked surprised at the offer, but to her credit, recovered quickly. "Sure, that'd be nice. What time?"

Cameron smiled. At least she hadn't turned him down. "I'll pick you up at seven."

Lila smiled. "Great. See you then!" She stood up and slapped a few dollars on the table. As she started toward the door, she heard Cam call after her.

"Hey! Where are you going?" he called, standing up as well.

Turning around, she laughed. "I have to get ready for tonight! Do you know how long I've been waiting for an invitation? This calls for a new dress! Bye! See you tonight!" She called, waltzing out the door and down the sidewalk.

Cameron watched her go and shook his head. "What is it with women? They never tell you what to expect."

Lulu came up to him. "You're a moron, you know that . She's been waiting forever for you to finally get a clue." She took his now empty plate and pocketed the money from Lila's breakfast. "You better get cleaned up as well, Cam. I can only imagine how she's going to look tonight. You need to match," She suggested, walking back to the counter.

Cameron shrugged his shoulders. He waved to Lulu after dropping cash on the table and left. He needed to see how fast a dry cleaner could wash his suit. And if Lulu was right in what she said about Lila, he should probably get a haircut. The whole rugged mountain man thing he had going was too scruffy for a woman of Lila's class.

XXXXXX

**So what do you think? I have to say, Lila's character was fun to write. I sort of based her off of Skye. Please read and review! I'm begging you! I hope to have another chapter up either tomorrow or Friday. My muse is sticking pretty close by…knock on wood. Anyway, Enjoy!**


	5. Business and Dinner

**Okay, I hope that everyone likes the story so far. If you have any suggestions as to the characters or the story itself, please let me know. I'm always afraid that I will lose my muse, so help is much appreciated. I'm sorry that this story is not completely medically correct either. One of my readers pointed out an error about how long a patient with AIDS can live. Again I'm sorry. I am not a doctor and have no desire to be one. I also am very busy and don't have a lot of spare time to research. I just like to write fan fiction. Please forgive me and ignore the error. As always, please review! Thanks…and above all, ENJOY!**

She walked into the main dining room of the Metrocourt on a mission. She was Kendall Hart-Slater, co-owner of one of the most successful cosmetic companies in the country. And she was about to seal a major deal with an equally successful fashion magazine.

And it was going to be as simple as taking candy from a baby.

If she had learned one thing from her years at _Fusion _and working with people who always seemed to have other agendas, she had learned that ruthlessness was the best tool to make certain that everything went in her favor. And more often than naught, it worked.

Kendall stopped in the doorway and looked out over the room. It certainly was a nice hotel. Metrocourt had all the best amenities and everything was perfect, including her surefire meeting.

Carly Jax watched the woman from across the room. She wasn't familiar so she must be from out of town. She looked classy, almost New York classy. But she still had an air of commonsense about her. And at the moment, she looked as though she was on a mission. Carly decided to investigate.

She walked over and put on her nicest 'greeting-the-guests' smile. "Hello and welcome to the Metrocourt. I'm Carly Jax, part owner. Can I help you?"

Kendall hesitated. She didn't care to talk to people, not when she had big plans in mind for business. But none the less, she smiled. "Oh, I'm only here on business. I'm supposed to meet someone here for a breakfast meeting."

Carly nodded. "I see. Well, I know most everybody here or I can get to know them so maybe I can help you."

"I'm looking for a representative from _Crimson_, a Molly Lansing-Davis," Kendall replied, looking out over the tables to see if she could spot her.

"Yes, I believe I saw Molly. You see, Port Charles is a small town, so everybody knows everybody else and always as an opinion into their business. Why don't you follow me," Carly said, leading Kendall over to a table in the corner.

Molly was reading the menu and sipping her coffee, but she looked up as she heard the footsteps. At first she frowned, not wanting to talk to Carly Jax at the moment, but then she saw Kendall Slater following her. She stood up hurriedly and held out a hand.

"Hello, I'm Molly Davis-Lansing. How are you, Mrs. Slater?" She motioned to the opposite chair for Kendall to take a seat. Just as she was sitting down, Mackenzie Drake was rushing through the door and over to their table.

"Hi, sorry I'm late. I'm Mackenzie Drake." She held out her hand to Kendall, who took it politely.

Molly looked surprised and when she looked at Kendall, she knew that Kendall was not. Mackenzie looked at Molly strangely and they both eyed Kendall suspiciously.

"Am I missing something?"Molly began.

"Yes, I wasn't under the impression that you had invited _Crimson _as well and _Maxie Jones," _Mackenzie said.

"Well, I was invited by _Crimson_, but I thought that I could—oh what do you say—kill two birds with one stone?" Kendall replied, smiling. "I am quite aware that _Crimson_ has an offer for _Fusion_, but I would like to make an offer that will benefit both companies and _Maxie Jones Original_."

Molly frowned. "How so?"

"Well, I am also aware that _Crimson and Maxie Jones_ are connected and that any business deal would affect both companies. But first off, why don't you put _Crimson's _offer out on the table? Ms. Davis-Lansing?" Kendall said, motioning for Molly to begin.

Molly nodded. "Well, _Crimson _is prepared to offer _Fusion _20 of magazine sales for that issue in order to feature your new perfume, _Secret_, in our December issue." She looked at Kendall, who was frowning.

"Well, I would make a counter-offer, but I have a better idea. A trade, if you wish. As I am sure you well know, _Fusion _is already preparing for the spring fashion show." She paused as both Molly and Mackenzie nodded.

Continuing, she said, "And we want up and coming designers in the show. So, we would like to have the entire spring line of _Maxie Jones Original _at our disposal for the show. That being said, it is a trade. We would let _Crimson _feature _Secret _in the December issue and you would let us use the _Maxie Jones _line of dresses." Kendall looked down at her notes for a moment, then back at Molly and Mackenzie.

"I know that this is short notice and that you'd need to discuss it with Kate Howard and Maxie Jones. So I am willing to let the deal stand as it is for twenty-four hours. I am leaving tomorrow morning, so I'd need an answer by then. I also have a contract for you and I'm sure that you want it to be looked over by a lawyer," Kendall replied, passing both Molly and Mackenzie a small stack of papers.

Kendall stood up and shook their hands. She smiled and turned to walk out of the room. "Thank you for the meeting and the excellent coffee. Let me know. I'm staying here at the Metrocourt." With one last look, she strode out of the restaurant, leaving Mackenzie and Molly with bewildered looks on their faces.

Mackenzie turned and looked at Molly. She was certain that her own face mirrored the woman's in front of her. "What is the Hell was that?"

Molly shook her head. "I'd say that that was hurricane Kendall. And she was a strong one."

Mackenzie nodded and got to her feet. "Well, it looks like we have a lot of business to do. And I was hoping for a free day."

"Yes, so was I. But we have to call both Kate and Maxie and the lawyer," Molly said, standing up and putting some cash on the table. Mackenzie nodded and together they walked out of the restaurant. They had a lot to do in a short amount of time.

XXXXXX

Mattie watched the clock. Morgan was due to pick her up any moment. She had spent the day running errands and deciding what to wear for her date. But for now, she was simply waiting.

Sarah walked into the living room and gave a whistle. "Wow Mattie, you look great. Morgan is going to fall at your feet." She surveyed Mattie's mauve colored strapless tea-length gown with a matching wrap. Her sable colored hair was tied back in an elegant French twist.

"Do you think that it is too much?" Mattie touched a hand to her hair, as if smoothing any misplaced hairs.

Sarah adamantly shook her head. "No, no. You look spectacular. Mattie, when I grow up, can I look like you?"

"Oh that's sweet," Mattie replied, smiling at Sarah's sincerity. She looked up as she heard a car door shut. "Oh, that's probably him. Are you sure that I look okay?"

"Yes, you look fantastic. Here, let me open the door. You should make a grand entrance," Sarah said, hurrying toward the door and pulling it open. She smiled at Morgan and stepped aside to allow him entrance.

"Wow. You look amazing, Mattie," Morgan said, sucking in a breath as he took in Mattie.

"See, I told you so," Sarah protested as Morgan took Mattie's arm and led her outside.

Mattie laughed and called back to her friend. "Goodbye Sarah! Don't wait up, I will probably be late." She slipped inside the Porsche when Morgan opened the door for her. He skirted around the hood and opened the driver's door. Within moments, they were off, heading down the road toward the Metrocourt.

**I know that it was a short chapter, but I wanted to post it tonight (Friday) like I said I would. I hope that you still like it. I really hope that you review because I could use some inspiration. I will try to post another chapter this weekend. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	6. Dreaming of Business

From his perch on the balcony above the ballroom, Spencer couldn't help envisioning what it would look like at the party. He saw the fairy lights and the candles. He heard the music and could see himself dancing with Miranda.

This party had to be perfect. It had to change the past because the last party in this very ballroom had ended with terror and the death of his father's fiancé. This party had to be the changing point, not only in the past, but also because it was a charity ball and the Miranda Montgomery Foundation needed the money. Spencer planned to do everything humanly possible to make certain that his party went off without a hitch.

Spencer gave the room one last look and made a mental note to have the staff shake the dust off the draperies when they began the cleaning. The ballroom had been closed off for more than twenty years and dust was almost three inches thick in some places. Spencer walked out of the balcony and was met by James.

"Sir, you have a phone call."

"Oh, okay, thanks. I will take it in my study," Spencer replied, walking off. He made his way up the stairs and into the main section of the house. Sitting down at his desk, he pushed the blinking button and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Spencer."

"Dad, how are you?" Spencer asked, surprise to hear his father's voice.

Nickolas's voice still held that air of nobility, even after all these years. "I'm quite good. Nadine and your sisters send their regards. I was calling to inquire about your party? How's the planning going?"

"Oh, oh, it's good. I never realized how much work it is to plan such an elaborate evening. Perhaps that's why you don't do parties anymore," Spencer said, doodling on the pad of paper in front of him.

"I suppose so. I don't like parties all that much. I was also calling to let you know that we are planning on flying into Port Charles tomorrow. It is not that important, but it would mean much to your sisters if you were there to meet us on the tarmac," Nickolas replied. He sensed his son's hesitation, his inability to say what was on his mind. But Nic knew that the only way he would get Spencer to talk would be face to face.

"Uh, yeah. Sure, I'll be there. Let me know when you are going to land," Spencer said, distractedly. He glanced up at the clock and knew that he should be on the phone talking to the caterer and dealing with the decorators if he was going to pull of the whole party in time.

"Okay, I'll call you before we land. See you tomorrow, Spencer," Nickolas said before hanging up. Spencer replaced the phone and stood up. He walked to the window and looked out over the autumn landscape. He was restless. He couldn't decide what to do. He seriously needed something meaningful to occupy his time. And then it came to him. The perfect idea. He hurried out of the room and called to James. He was going into Port Charles. He now had a meaningful thing to do.

XXXXXX

Kate Howard stood commandingly behind her desk. She had an air that demanded respect from all her employees and associates. But at the moment, everyone seemed to be ignoring it and talking at once.

"I think that we should take the deal. It benefits _Maxie_ _Jones, Crimson _and _Fusion,_" Mackenzie was saying. She was sitting on the couch across from Kate's desk.

"But what if the spring designs aren't up to _Fusion's_ taste and then they demand more compensation for our use of their perfume—even more than the 20 percent we offered them," Molly reasoned, looking at Maxie Jones herself.

Maxie nodded. "That's true. I don't have all the plans yet for the spring season, so we can't be sure that Kendall Hart will like them. She's being a little presumptuous, if you ask me."

Kate tapped her foot in the bright red Jimmy Choos. "Enough!" She said loudly. All three women stopped talking at once and turned to stare the woman on the other side of the desk. Kate took a seat. "If you would all be so kind as to take a seat." When they did, she continued, "Okay, now that everyone is listening to me, I'd like to say something."

"First off, are you seriously considering taking this deal?" Molly interrupted, earning a look from Kate. She shrugged her shoulders and folded her hands in her lap.

"I would like to say that this deal is interesting and will be taken very seriously. I like the terms, but will only go through with it if all parties—meaning us, them and _Maxie Jones—_are in agreement," Kate finished, eyeing Maxie, Molly and Mackenzie.

Maxie spoke up first. "I like the deal as well, but there has to be some sort of cushion for us, because it seems to me that _Fusion _is taking a gamble because the spring line isn't even off paper yet." She pulled out a notebook and opened it. The pages were filled with drawings of dresses. "I mean, most of my ideas are still two-dimensional. I have a few dresses completed, but not enough to satisfy a fashion show that is still six months in the making."

Kate nodded. "I know that, but I am still waiting for Alexis to look over the papers. As soon as she calls me back, I'll know how the terms sound. And I do agree with you that we need a cushion so they don't want more money later."

"I think that we should just offer Kendall the original deal but up it to 25 percent of sales. Then if she still wanted to deal with Maxie, she could make a separate offer. That way, we would get what we want, _Fusion _would get their money and if they really want to wear _Maxie Jones Original_, they can to it without directly putting _Crimson _in the line of fire," Molly said sensibly. She looked at Kate, who nodded. Just then, a knock on the door had all three women turning toward it.

Alexis strode in with Diane at her heels. Kate waved a hand to the only empty chair left in the room. Alexis took it without consulting Diane, who stood in behind her with a scowl on her face.

Alexis pulled the papers out of her briefcase and set them in front of Kate. "Everything in is order. I double-checked the deal. Everything is legal. _Fusion _is offering the use of their perfume in your magazine in return for the use of _Maxie Jones Original _spring line in their fashion show."

Diane cut Alexis off. "In my legal opinion, I don't think that you should go through with the deal."

Kate spoke up. "I've decided not to take the deal as outlined in these papers. I think that it is too risky and honestly, I think that _Fusion _is taking a gamble. I agree with Molly that if _Fusion _still wants to use Maxie's designs in their show, they will have to make a separate deal," She stood up to shake Alexis's hand. "Thank you for getting back to me so soon."

Alexis nodded. "Well, both Diane and I have vested interest in both companies, so we wouldn't want to see either one fall." She looked behind her shoulder to Diane, who was nodding.

"If you all would scatter from by office, I will call Kendall to see about setting up a meeting. I suppose that I could even go to Port Charles if I had to, but I'd like to do it today," Kate said expectantly. The other five women reluctantly left her alone.

XXXXXX

**Okay, so I know that I actually went backwards because in the last chapter, Mattie and Morgan were going to dinner, and in this chapter it's the daytime. I really like writing for Kate. And I sort of based the adult Molly after Alexis and Kate. I hope that you keep reading! Enjoy!**


	7. Can You Say That Again?

**I am sorry that I haven't been updating as often, but I'm been so overwhelmed with college right now, that I haven't had a lot of time to write. On a side note, I made a slight change to the story. In the beginning, I said that Robin and Patrick had a son named Andrew, but now they don't. He's not that important to the story as a whole, so I made an executive decision. Enjoy!**

Carly entered the dining room of the restaurant and looked out over the patrons. She smiled as she saw a tall, dark haired man sitting at a table in the corner. She was just about to walk over and say hello when she saw who her son was sitting with. Her smile faded as she strode over to the table.

"Morgan! What a surprise!" Carly said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Morgan glanced up wearily. He wasn't in the mood for confrontation with his mother and he knew that Mattie sure as hell wasn't. "Hi Mom."

"What are you doing here?" Carly asked, deliberately keeping her eyes away from Mattie's. It was no secret that Carly had hated Robin because she had told Sonny that he, and not Jason, was Michael's real father. Even though it had happened more than thirty-years ago, Carly held grudges forever.

Morgan raised his eyebrows. He gestured to Mattie. "What does it look like, Mom? I'm having dinner with my girlfriend."

Carly feigned surprise. "Oh, Mattie, I didn't see you there. How are you?"

Mattie smiled thinly. "I'm fine, Mrs. Jax. I'm sure that you are good as well?"

Carly nodded quickly and then turned her attention back on her son. "Well, I'd better get going. Morgan, Amelia wants you to come for dinner tomorrow. We're ordering take-out."

Morgan shrugged. "I don't know what my day looks like tomorrow. I'll call you then,"

"Oh. But, your sister really wants you to come. She never gets to see you since you're living in the carriage house at the Quartermaine's."

"I don't know,_ Mom._" Morgan replied exasperatedly.

"Okay, okay. I understand. Try to come, though, I don't want to disappoint Lia." Carly said, waving as she walked away.

Morgan turned around to face Mattie. "Look, I'm really sorry about that, about my mother. She's kind of overbearing. And sometimes she doesn't think about what she's saying," he said apologetically. It seemed that he was always making up for what Carly said. Something that was not unlike what Jason had been doing for nearly forty-years.

Mattie shook her head. "It's okay. It's no secret that Carly hated my mother. And apparently, that hate gets transferred to me because she's not around anymore." She wore a pensive look on her face.

"Hey, are you okay?" Morgan reached over and clasped his hand around hers. She held tight as if it were a lifeline. Between him and her work at the hospital, she managed to keep a sane mind, even when she was missing her mother so much that she felt as though she couldn't move sometimes.

"Yes, I'm okay. Just missing my mother," She said quickly and looked up as the waiter came with a tray bearing their dinner. She waited to speak again until the food had been set on the table and they were once again left alone.

"I'm sorry, Mattie. I know how much you loved her." He knew that it sounded insincere, but honestly he didn't know what to say. He hadn't really lost someone who he'd cared so much about.

Well no, that was a lie. Morgan had lost quite a few people, but for some reason he's managed to bounce back. First had been his brother. After Michael's accident, Morgan had been too young to fully understand what had happened. He only knew that his brother had been hurt really bad and was asleep in a hospital to get better. Only he hadn't gotten better. Michael had never regained consciousness and because he was essentially a vegetable, Carly had made the decision to take him off life support and let his die naturally. That had been ten years after the accident.

After his brother's accident, Morgan birth father had given up custody of him to protect him from his life. After that, Sonny hadn't really been in the picture. He had stayed away because it was too dangerous to be in Sonny's life. And Morgan had long ago stopped associating the word _father _with Sonny Corinthos.

Despite their problems, Jax and Carly had stayed together for the duration and even now, their marriage was still going strong. After their little separation when Morgan had been a child, they had gotten back together and eventually became parents together with the birth of Morgan's first sister Rachel in 2012 and a second sister, Amelia in 2020.

Because Jax had always been in Morgan's life, he hadn't missed Sonny. Even when Sonny had been killed by the mob in 2025, Morgan had refused to mourn. Although after Sonny's death, Morgan had tried to comfort his step-mother and Sonny's wife Kate. Sonny and Kate had managed to make their marriage work, even though Sonny had never been completely out of the mob. They had even gone so far as to have two more children who were Morgan's half-sibling—if only by blood. Morgan was now relatively close to his brother and sister, Emily and Jack.

So, despite the fact that Morgan's life had not been completely free of loss, he couldn't feel the same way that Mattie was feeling. He hadn't really lost a parent, not when it counted, anyway. He looked back at Mattie. She was smiling.

"What?" He asked. Only a moment ago, she'd been sad, and now she was smiling. He's missed something during his daydream.

She shook her head. "I just try to remember the good times when I get sad about my mom. And it's really not difficult because I had a lot of them with her." She grew serious again. "When I was a little girl, I wanted to be just like her. I was going to be a doctor and was going to find my prince charming. Just like her and my dad. But when I grew up, I realized that life isn't perfect. She had HIV. She had an incurable disease that she had to live with everyday. I couldn't understand how someone so full of life could have a disease like that. It just wasn't fair."

"No. It wasn't fair. But do you think that she had come to terms with the disease a long time ago?" Morgan asked pointedly. He knew that she knew the answer, but wasn't willing to agree because Mattie refused to show weakness.

"Maybe, but I still don't think it's fair." She thought back to when her mother had told her about the AIDS. It had been visibly taxing on Robin, but she had gotten through it.

_Mattie watched the water. The sun glinted off it and blinded her. But at the moment, she didn't care. She was avoiding her mother. Robin had told her the day before that her HIV had developed into AIDS. Mattie still couldn't believe it. No, she wouldn't believe it. And right now, she avoiding her mom and anyone associated with it. _

_Footsteps across the dock made her look up. Mattie saw her mother walking toward her. She pursued her lips and was about to stand up to walk away. She still didn't want to deal with the blatant fact. _

_But it was what Robin said that stopped her. Robin walked to the bench and sat down. She looked out at the water toward the ships that docked in the harbor. "I'm sorry."_

_Mattie whipped around and stared at her. "What?"_

_"I'm sorry." Robin looked at her daughter and fought the urge to grab her Mattie's hand in comfort. _

_"What do you have to be sorry for?" Mattie choked out. She reached up at wiped at the tears that threatened. _

_"I'm sorry for causing you pain, for telling you that I'm going to have to leave you someday. Someday soon," Robin added, her voice breaking. "Oh Mattie, I'm sorry that I have to die. I don't know what to say."_

_"Mom, it's not your fault," Mattie whispered. She stood up and walked to the edge of the dock. _

_"I was your age when I first found out that I had HIV." _

_Mattie whipped around and stared at her mother. "You never talk about your life then."_

_Robin smiled sadly. "It's really not that glamorous. I was in love with an HIV positive man. We didn't know much about the disease then. It was a mistake not to use protection. It was only one time and then Alan Quartermaine told me that I tested positive. It was a lifetime ago."_

_Mattie only stared. "I don't understand. Why don't you talk about it?"_

_Robin only shrugged. "I don't know. Like I said, it was a long time ago. And I've spent more than more than twenty years living with this thing…this disease…in my body and I can't do anything about it. I've learned to focus on the positive."_

_"But you're dying—how can you focus on the positive at a time like this?"_

_"Mattie, I'm aware of my fate. But at the moment, I want to focus on the positive because I want to cherish my time with you and your dad and your sister. It's more important to make memories than to talk about what happened long before you were even born. Please?" Robin looked at her pleadingly. _

_Finally Mattie nodded. "Okay, I understand." She walked toward the stairs, but stopped at the bottom. Looking back she said, "I'm so sorry Mom. It's not fair. But I understand that we need to make the best of this time."_

_Robin got to her feet and looped an arm to through Mattie's. "I love you Mattie-girl and I will do anything to make sure that this is easier for you."_

_"As if anything can be easier right now."_

_Robin nodded sadly. They walked up the stairs and down the sidewalk toward the hospital. Mattie knew that even though it was hard to do, she would regret anytime that she was mad at her mother, especially now. Time was too precious and the blatant fact that Robin was dying was a vivid reminder of that. _

"Mattie?" Morgan said, touching her hand.

"What?" She was jolted out of her musings by his voice. She grappled for his hand and managed to wipe the tears out of her eyes with her free one.

"Mattie, you're too upset to be here tonight. How about we blow this pizza joint and go take a walk in the park?" When she nodded, he waved for the waiter, who appeared and asked if there was anything he could do. Morgan explained that they were finished and the waiter promptly removed their plates.

He stood up and helped her up. She wiped at her face as he held her wrap out. He took it and they skirted around the tables toward the exit.

Several minutes later, they were outside in the frosty fall air, walking toward the pier. He faced her when they arrived at the pier and were seated on the bench. "Mattie, I love you and I want to help you."

She looked up. "Can you say that again?"

He looked puzzled. "What? That I want to help you?"

She shook her head. "No, that you love me."

Morgan smiled now. He reached for her and pulled her to him in a hug. "I love you. I will always love you. Remember that."

"I love you too. You can't know how much that one little sentence helps me right now. I need to know that you are in my corner," She said, leaning into to him and breathing his scent in.

"I will always be there for you, no matter what."

She looked around at the pier. It was dark, but the single streetlight lit the small area like day. "It was here that my mom told me to cherish life and love because you never know when it might be gone. Ever since that day, I've tried to do that because of her."

"Your mom was right. Life is too precious to waste, especially because I love you. Right now, that's all we need," Morgan said. He stood up and held out a hand. "I better get you home. Sarah's probably worrying."

She smiled through her tears. "Thank you so much Morgan."

He nodded as they began to walk up the stairs and toward the parking lot at the hotel. As they situated themselves on the motorcycle and headed toward Mattie's apartment, she thanked the gods for Morgan. She didn't know what she would do without him and the knowledge that he loved her was more help than anything she'd learned in the last nine years.


	8. Stubborn Like Her Mother

He walked up the steps toward her door. He could only imagine what she looked like right now. He reached the door and pushed the buzzer. Waiting, his mind wandered. But came right back when the door opened and he knew that everything he'd imagined couldn't even compare to the vision that stood in the doorway.

No. He'd definitely been wrong. This was no ordinary woman

Lila Rae Alcazar just couldn't be called an average woman. She had made it her life's work to be unpredictable and extraordinary.

Cameron felt his mouth go agape and quickly fixed the problem. He held out a bouquet of flowers and felt diminished next to her classy, yet extremely sexy up-do.

She smiled and buried her face in the daisies. "Oh. You're so sweet. Come in for a second while I get these in water." She opened the door wider and he managed to make his legs move inside the house.

She was wearing a short dress made of some sort of flowing material in a fiery red color. Her red hair was left down, the curls flowing down her—oh sweet Jesus, he though—exposed back. He fought the urge to push her against the wall and take her right then and there.

And at this point, Cameron could only imagine what she was wearing underneath the wisp of sheer fabric.

Cameron wiped the perspiration from his face and put himself in check as she strolled back into the front room. She grinned, as if she had heard his thoughts.

"Like what you see, hot stuff?" she asked saucily. She sauntered toward the door, grabbing her coat off the couch as she went. He followed her, afraid that if he didn't get outside into the cold air, he might combust and do something they'd both regret.

Cameron followed her down the stairs and out of the building. As she only lived two blocks from the hotel, they planned to walk. The cold air did the job, as he felt sufficiently better when they arrived at the restaurant.

Lila strode up to the maitre d'. "The reservations are for Spencer."

"Of course, Ms. Alcazar. Right this way." They were led to a table in the back of the room—probably the most private table in the whole restaurant. After they were seated with their menus, the maitre d' took their drink orders and walked away from the table.

Lila looked at Cameron from over the top of her menu. He tried to concentrate on the words so he wouldn't think about doing a certain something to _Ms. Alcazar._ He quickly decided what to order and took a sip of the water to get his mind together. He wasn't sure if Lila knew what she did to a man.

Oh, on the contrary, Lila Rae knew exactly what she did to a man and she knew that Cameron Spencer was a sucker for it.

"So…busy day?" she asked, taking a sip of the ice water.

He shrugged. "You know, it's my day off so I have to run errands that I don't do during the week."

"I see. Well, I certainly had a busy day. I spent all morning at the hotel boutique looking for the perfect dress. And by the looks of your face, I must have found it," Lila replied, watching his eyes go dark with arousal. She knew exactly what was running through his mind right now—it was the same thoughts she'd been having for months.

"Yeah. The dress is nice," he said shakily. At this point, he wasn't sure if he would last the entire evening.

_Okay, I'd better lay off for a while. I doubt that Carly would like it if we did the deed in her hotel restaurant,_ Lila thought as the waiter brought the wine to the table. She took a sip and nodded her approval. Moments later, they were alone again.

As she sipped her wine, Cameron became lost in her face and he knew that it was going to be a long dinner.

XXXXXX

Kate Howard-Corinthos stood at the window of her penthouse office. From it, she could see the harbor to the east and Spoon Island just west of that. But at the moment, she wasn't really seeing anything.

All she could think about was the anticipation for the arrival of one Kendall Hart-Slater. She knew that Kendall would be mad that Kate wasn't taking the deal, but Kate had to think about her magazine. She had spent years building a career in the fashion world and the same amount of time building a magazine that was—to this day—the best.

But that chance, that success, hadn't come without cost and sacrifice. A long time ago, she had given up Connie Falconeri for Kate Howard. That sacrifice had cost her family, her love for Sonny and her past. But it had also brought her the most wonderful career and life she had ever imagined.

And then, all of a sudden, Sonny had popped back into her life. Or rather, she had popped into his.

Her perfect life had changed the moment she'd walked into his office asking to use the phone. And once upon a time, she'd believed that he was her prince. But now she knew that even though Sonny had loved her, there was no way that she could live safely in his world.

She had gotten her chance to marry him and even though it hadn't lasted, it had given her two beautiful children. If she had made any mistakes—and lord knew that she had—the best mistake had brought her two children.

Kate Howard had weathered many storms throughout her life and she had always bounced back. But now, her company was on the line and she was about to make a major deal that would either make or break all that she'd created out of her sacrifices.

A knock on the door brought Kate out of her musings. She turned around and saw Kendall Slater standing in the doorway. She smiled and motioned her in.

"Hello, Mrs. Slater. Please have a seat. Would you like anything? Perhaps water or coffee?" Kate walked behind her desk and took a seat.

"No thank you. I'm okay right now. If it is all right with you, I'd like to get down to business," Kendall said shortly. She pulled out a stack of papers from her satchel and set them on the desk with a thump.

"Of course. I'm assuming that you heard my message about your deal. It's just too big a risk to take for _Crimson _and _Maxie Jones Original,_" Kate replied. "But I would offer you the same deal that was offered in the beginning and I know that Maxie Jones is very interested in your proposal. She would be willing to agree to similar terms," She added quickly, seeing the light go out of Kendall's eyes.

"Yes. I will take the deal—the original deal. I assume you have the papers ready today?" Kendall said, replacing her stack of papers and reaching for a pen. Kate nodded and passed the contract to the other woman. Kendall looked it over and turned to the page where the signature line was. She took the pen and carefully signed her name. Handing the papers back to Kate, she stood up and collected her briefcase. She and Kate shook hands and then Kendall walked out of the office and toward the elevator. Moments later she was gone and Kate was left staring at where she'd been.

Never in Kate's entire fashion career had a business deal gone so easy. She couldn't believe that everything was a done deal. Shaking her head, Kate stood up and walked back to the window. This time when she stared out, she did see the harbor and Spoon Island. For the first time in a while, she was seeing clearly and her life was beginning to look up.

Turning back to her desk, she reached for the phone and dialed Molly's number. She needed her assistant to work on the upcoming issue. Now that the deal with _Fusion_ was finalized, she had much to do if this magazine was going to be a success.

And if Kate Howard was anything, she was a success.

She had sacrificed a lot in her life, but in the end, she had gained just as much. Despite the sacrifices, Kate Howard was a winner and she'd be damned if the chance to be back at the top was going to pass by her again.

XXXXXX

Mattie felt considerably better when she walked into the hospital the following Monday. Morgan had been right: dinner had helped. She was more relaxed and at the moment, she felt at peace.

She walked into the locker room and stowed her bag in the locker before stripping her clothes and donning the purple scrubs. She tied her hair back into a pony-tail and checked her face in the mirror before racing out of the door. She was almost late for rounds when she arrived at the nurse's station.

Elizabeth Weber stood behind the desk. She handed Mattie a stack of files and smiled at her. "Have fun!" She teased.

"Actually, I'm looking forward to work. For the first time in a long time, I feel—I don' know—lighter," Mattie said, opening the file and reading the updates.

Elizabeth laughed. "Somebody got lucky this weekend."

Mattie looked up quickly. "No." she blew out a breath. "No, we d-didn't do anything," She finished hastily.

"Who didn't do anything?" Kristina asked as she walked behind the desk. She handed her folders to Elizabeth. "Morning sunshine!" She said to Mattie.

"Hi Kris, how was your weekend?" Mattie said cautiously. The last thing she wanted people to think that she'd had sex with Morgan Corinthos. In all the years that they'd been dating, Morgan had always respected her and they'd yet to have sex.

"Oh it was great. I got to play with my kids and actually have a meal with my husband," Kristina said dryly. She had always worked shifts opposite than Jack and rarely saw him other than their days off. "What about you?"

"Mattie went on a date with Morgan this weekend," Elizabeth put in for Mattie. Mattie could all but feel her face grow warm and wished the ground would just open up right now.

"Aw…finally," Kristina said, grinning. Then she grew serious. "How was this weekend for you really? I know what day it was."

Mattie looked away for a moment. "It was okay. Morgan took me to dinner to cheer me up."

"And did it work?" This was from Lainey as she entered the nurses' station. She had been trying to get Mattie to talk about Robin's death for the last nine years.

"I don't know—I guess it did. He told me he'd do whatever I needed and that he'd always be there for me," Mattie replied. She turned and glanced at the plaque on the wall. It was introducing the Robin Scorpio Drake Memorial AIDS clinic, which Nickolas Cassadine had opened soon after Robin's death.

"Why don't you two just get married already?" Elizabeth asked as the others laughed. It was well known that Mattie and Morgan had admired each other since they were children.

"I don't think that we're there yet," Mattie answered absently. She looked at the clock. "Oh, I'm late for rounds." With a wave to the rest of the women, she hurried down the corridor.

"She doesn't think they're there yet," Elizabeth said dryly as the others laughed.

"Yes, as if they haven't loved each other for half their lives," Lainey replied. She picked up her charts and went to see to her patients.

"I bet that they'll be married before next summer…or at least in the planning stages," Kristina said to Elizabeth as she finished filling in her notes.

"The problem is: Mattie is too much like Robin. She's stubborn and the minute everything's going right, she's looking for something that's wrong. Patrick and Robin danced around marriage for months before they finally took the plunge for good," Elizabeth said, remembering back to when Robin and Patrick had been dating.

"Well, she'll soon find what she's looking for," Kristina replied as the phone rang and everything went back to normal at General Hospital.


	9. Family: You Got to Love Them!

Nikolas looked out over Spoon Island. As much as he loved the Wyndemere, there were too many sad memories surrounding the place he'd called home for a long time. But his son was content to live here so at least he could come home and visit once in a while.

Not that he didn't love Greece. After spending part of his childhood there, he had an attachment to it and he loved that his daughters got the chance to grow up in a bright and happy village rather than the dark and dreary castle.

Nikolas turned as he heard footsteps from behind. He smiled as his bride came into view. Even after more than twenty years of marriage, he was still crazy about Nadine and he was glad that she was still wildly in love with him. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey."

"Hi. Are you okay?" Nadine asked stepping around to face him. She still had difficulty reading his broodiness even after all the years together.

"Yes, just thinking."

Nadine smiled. "About what?" knowing that it was unlikely he would tell her. He rarely confided in anyone and he would always say that he didn't want to worry her.

"The past," Nikolas replied simply. "Where's Spencer?" he brightened considerably.

"He took the girls and went to pick up Miranda from the airport," Nadine said, then lowered her eyebrows. "You know, I'm sure that they are going to be gone for at least an hour or more. We could…" she trailed off suggestively and shrieked as Nikolas lifted her off her feet and carried her inside the bedroom.

"We could, couldn't we?" He replied dryly, setting her on the bed and lowering his lips to hers. It was the last thing she would hear for at least an hour.

XXXXXX

Spencer stood on the tarmac at the private airstrip and watched the skies. Beside him, his two sisters stood excitedly. They couldn't wait to visit Miranda again. She was probably the best part about coming to the states. Except, of course, for Spencer.

Sixteen-year-old Natasha Cassadine was tall like her father, but with her mother's blond hair and brown eyes. She wore her hair in her customary ballerina bun. She had been studying dance for thirteen years and hoped to one day dance in the Royal Ballet Company out of London. But for now, she was content to spend time with her big brother.

"Look! There's the plane!" fourteen-year-old Laura squealed, pointing to the sky.

Spencer followed her pointing finger. He couldn't wait to see Miranda again. Because they both led busy lives, they didn't get to spend as much time together as they'd both like, so they had come to cherish the time they did spend together.

Minutes past and the plane landed. When the door opened and Miranda descended, Spencer and the girls walked over to her. She set her bags on the ground as Spencer caught her in a hug.

"Hi!" She said when he put her back on the ground.

"How are you Miranda?" This was from Natasha who stood in the background.

"Natty! I didn't even see you there. How have you been?" Miranda squealed. While she and the girls chatted, Spencer picked up her luggage and led the way back to the car.

"I'm good," it was said quietly. Natasha was definitely the most broody of the Cassadine children, much like her father.

"Oh. I'm tired. I've been traveling for days, it seems. I just want to crawl into bed for a week and sleep," Miranda replied, complaining just a tiny bit. She wrapped an arm around Spencer's shoulders. "But for now, I'm really glad to be home."

XXXXXX

"Okay I'm here. What the hell do you want?" Sarah bellowed, striding through the foyer into the main parlor. Anthony Zacchara was sitting in an armchair facing the French doors that looked out to his wife's rose garden.

"Now is that anyway for a devoted granddaughter to talk to her favorite grandfather?" he chastised, turning to face her. At nearly ninety, he was still as sharp and conniving as ever.

"Oh cut the crap, _grandpa_!" Sarah snapped. She stopped in the doorway, refusing to give in to Anthony's whims.

"I'm disappointed in you, Sarah."

"Since when have I ever asked for your approval?" Sarah asked dryly. She still didn't know why she was here. She avoided Crimson Point for most of her life, mostly because her mother was not in good favor with Anthony and didn't want her daughter associated with the mob.

"I'm disappointed in you because you chose the law instead of the Zacchara family name," Anthony added.

"Why in the hell would choose you or mob over the police?" Sarah sneered. She leaned on the door-jam and crossed her arms.

"Because you are a Zacchara," Anthony bellowed, as if she was stupid.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm no more a Zacchara than I am a Lansing."

"You are a Zacchara through and through. The Zacchara blood is strong. And you are most definitely not a low-level, lying snake of a Lansing," Anthony snapped. He moved himself from the armchair to the wheelchair at his right.

"Careful Daddy, you might just be describing yourself," came a voice from outside in the hall. Sarah moved aside and Claudia strode in, her eyes flashing.

"Aw…wonderful timing. It's like a family reunion," Anthony said, rolling himself across the room to where Sarah stood. "I was just telling Sarah that she made a big mistake choosing to represent the wrong side of the law." He reached for her hand, which she pulled away in disgust.

"Get the hell away from me," Sarah ordered, moving aside. "And wrong or right side of the law—it's all perception."

"Leave my daughter alone," Claudia growled.

"Watch it. You are beginning to sound like a mother bear," Anthony warned.

"I would die before I'd work for the mob. I much prefer being a cop," Sarah replied coolly. She glanced at her mother. There wasn't much more of Anthony Zacchara that Sarah could take before blowing up—literally.

"There's no money in public service. What am I going to do with my vast fortune if I can't give it to my _only_ granddaughter?" Anthony asked innocently. He enunciated on the latter as he refused to recognize Johnny's children as his family because he hated the fact that Johnny had married that _Lulu_ girl—as he had once called her.

"Give it to the nature conservative for all I care. I want nothing to do with mob money. I can make my own money," Sarah said vehemently. "You know what Anthony? Keep your money; I don't want any of it. And for all I care, you can rot in hell though I doubt that you will do that because you are too bullheaded to roll over and die." With the last word, she turned and stormed out of the house, slamming the door in her wake.

"My, my, Claudia. What kind of parenting did you do? That's girl's out of control and downright rude," Anthony chastised his daughter.

"Stop. Just stop. You can't even talk to me about parenting. You shipped me off to Italy because I reminded you of my mother," Claudia snapped. "You know, I don't necessary like my daughter's language, but at this time, I do agree with her—about you dying, anyway," She said, before turning and following in her daughter's footsteps.

Anthony watched Claudia walk away and for once felt a bit of remorse. He had pushed his family away all those years ago and for once, they'd listened. Now all he had was this monstrosity of a house, Maria's rose garden which he'd lovingly kept up over the years, and himself—just what he'd wanted. And what angered him most was the fact that even then, he wasn't satisfied.

XXXXXX

"Ugh! I don't know what he wants with me. If it's not Anthony, it's my father. And these days, I don't know what is worse." Steam was practically coming out of her ears as she raged. Mattie couldn't help but smile. Sarah was a quite a sight when enraged. She was a combination of her mother's hot temper and her father's level argumentative head.

Sarah stopped pacing and stared at Mattie. "Why are you laughing? I came for advice, not to be a zoo animal on display," She snapped, her hand connecting with the counter in emphasis.

"Sorry. But you are so funny when your pissed off," Mattie giggled. Then she became serious again. "It's not your fault. You can't choose your family. Don't let your grandpa get to you."

"Ooh! I don't know why I ask you—no offense—but you have a nice family. You have your Uncle Mac and you had your Grandpa Robert. You don't know what it is like to live with dysfunction," Sarah cried exasperatedly.

"Stop. Okay. I'm being serious. Just ignore your grandfather. It's not like you are going to listen anyway," Mattie replied, laughter threatening to bubble over.

Sarah's eyes widened. "Okay, point taken. I have to go. My shift at the station starts in a half an hour." With a wave, she walked toward the elevator. Just as the door was closing, Mattie heard her add, "Okay, you can laugh now!"

Chuckling, she walked down the hall toward the examination room. Sarah was a riot when she was mad, that was for sure. But honestly, Mattie didn't know how she handled the dysfunction. Mattie's life seemed so much calmer than her friends and that was just the way she liked it.

XXXXXX

Dillon Quartermaine walked into the parlor at the Quartermaine Mansion. He wore a look of scowl on his face. At this point, he was going to pummel anyone who came in him path. Who the hell did Starr think she was? If she thought that she could keep their daughter from him, she had another thing coming.

Today, he admitted that getting involved with Starr Manning while she was clearly in love with someone else was a major mistake. At the time though, he thought that she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen—second only to his first love, Georgie Jones.

But he had fallen head over heels with Starr and they had gotten married. They had their daughter Alexandria just two years later and they'd subsequently divorced when Alexandria had only been four. The divorce had only been a formality though; their marriage had been over almost from the beginning. Starr had never been able to get past her own first love Cole Thornhart.

Just as he'd never quite gotten over Georgie. Dillon remembered coming home to surprise her, only to find out that she'd been murdered by the man she'd believed to be innocent. He had been hoping that they could rekindle their relationship and then the chance was gone. Just like that, a dream dead like his beloved Georgie.

He'd returned to Los Angeles soon after the funeral, but he couldn't quite move on. Even the chance to be a director's assistant hadn't made him happy again. Granted, that chance had paid off as today he _was _the director. He was well-known these days—the Steven Spielberg of his era—as he was called.

But it didn't make up for the lost chance to revive his relationship with Georgie. A movie shoot in Llanview, Pennsylvania more than ten years after her death had brought him into contact with Starr Manning, a teacher and long-time resident of Llanview. They had had a whirlwind courtship and an even faster marriage. He'd stayed in Llanview with frequent trips to Los Angeles.

After the divorce, Dillon had returned to Los Angeles full time, while Starr stayed in Llanview with Alexandria. They had agreed that their daughter would live with her mother during the school year with frequent visits to her father on breaks. But Starr hadn't wanted that and after the divorced had been finalized, she had changed her mind about how often their daughter was to visit Dillon.

Now, after his move back to Port Charles, he wanted to see his daughter, but Starr was not budging. He was here in this giant house once home all the Quartermaine's, but now it was only home to Dillon.

His grandfather Edward had finally succumbed to a bad heart almost twenty years ago. Monica had died of cancer only five years ago. But Tracy was still around. She was one of the reasons Dillon was back on PC. He knew that his mother was ailing and needed help. And as his brother was still in Bensonhurst, NY and his niece Brook Lynn was busy touring for her most recent CD, he was the one to provide it.

Now if only he could convince Starr to let their daughter come to Port Charles to live with him, he knew that it would be the one bright light in his life.

Dillon stalked to the phone. He was giving Starr one more chance before was calling a lawyer. He wondered if Lila Alcazar was up to a custody case. Sighing, he picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number.

XXXXXX

**So, what do you think so far? Dillon was not something I expected to write about. And for those fans of Starr and Cole, I had to put a little upheaval for her. But rest assured, after her divorce from Dillon, she did indeed marry her first love. I can't decide who Dillon should be interested in now. Maybe someone from AMC or another OLTL character? If you have any suggestions, let me know and I will be inclined to take them. Please read and review. Let me know if you don't understand something as well and I will clarify it for you. Enjoy!**


	10. Thanks and Apologies

"Why can't they just make up their minds," Alexandria Quartermaine muttered, stalking into her bedroom at La Boulaie. Sometimes she felt as though she was being pulled in two. Her mother was so certain that her living with her father would damage her in some strange way that Starr refused to allow Alex to see him.

And now that he was in Port Charles, NY, she wanted to see him more than ever.

A knock on the door made her turn around. Alex frowned as she saw her 'sister' standing in the doorway. "What? Are you going to tell me that mom's right? That I shouldn't see my dad or my grandma or any of my cousins in Port Charles?"

Julia McBain shook her head and walked to Alex's bed. She sat down and patted the spot next to her. Alex huffed a breath and sat. "What?"

"I'm not saying that your mom's right, but she's not wrong either."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex glared at Julia.

"I mean, your mom is protecting you. But maybe you don't need protection anymore. Maybe you can make your own decision. But did you try telling Starr all this?" Julia asked logically, which made Alex groan.

"Ugh. She won't listen. She still treats me like I'm a baby. Never mind that I'm sixteen and am perfectly capable of making my own decisions." She stopped and then her eyes widened. "Wait. I have the perfect plan. When you go to Port Charles to visit Mattie, you can take me and I can visit my dad." She looked hopeful, while Julia wore a skeptical look on her face.

"I highly doubt that Starr would go for that. I'll ask and maybe I can try to reason with her, but it's unlikely."

"Please, please!" Alex begged. Julia sighed and stood up. She walked to the door and turned back to look at Alex.

"I will try, but I'm not promising anything."

"Yes!" Alex exclaimed to no one in particular. She stood up and went to her closet for the overnight bag. She might as well make use of her time and start packing for her trip. Starr listened to Julia and Alex knew that Julia could get their mother to agree.

**XXXXXX**

Starr Thornhart rubbed her temples and tried to refocus her attention to the stack of papers on her lap. She needed to finish these papers before tomorrow. But she just wasn't in the mood to do them.

She looked up as footsteps brought a welcome distraction. Julia appeared in the doorway. Starr smiled and beckoned her in. Julia walked carefully over to the chair opposite Starr and took a seat.

"Hi! Did you just get here?" Starr asked, setting her work aside.

"A little while ago. I was up talking to Alex," Julia replied, glancing at the clock. She had an appointment at the hospital in an hour.

Starr nodded, instantly understanding. "Is she really mad at me?"

"No. She's confused. She thinks that it's her fault that you and her father are on such bad terms," Julia said, then hesitated. "Starr—she really wants to go to Port Charles. She really wants to see her father and personally, I think that she should."

Starr sighed. "I know. It's not her fault that Dillon and I separated. I'll have to talk to her."

"Listen Starr, I'm going to PC this weekend to visit Mattie and I thought that maybe I could take Alex and she could spend time with her dad," Julia replied. She fingered her bracelet. She could only imagine how Starr would react.

"Yes. I think that that would be a good idea. I'll talk to her and make sure she's ready when you leave on Friday. Will you be back on Sunday?" Starr asked, standing up and walking to the window. Even though she knew it was the right thing to do, she still didn't want her daughter to be that far away from her.

"Yes. Listen, I have to go. I have an appointment at the hospital soon," Julia replied, standing up and walking toward the door. As she did, Alex came running around the corner.

Starr smiled at her daughter and motioned her over to the couch. "Come here for a second. I want to talk to you."

Alex looked skeptical. "Did I do something wrong?"

Starr shook her head. "No, no. You didn't do anything wrong—I did."

Alex frowned. "Okay?"

"It isn't your fault that your dad and I divorced. I shouldn't have put you in the middle. I want you to have a relationship with your father so I'm giving you the okay to spend this weekend with your dad in Port Charles. I will call him to give him a heads-up," Starr said, placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

Alex smiled. "Really? Thanks mom!" She jumped up and followed Julia to the door. "I'll walk you out."

Julia smiled. "Okay. Bye Starr!"

Starr waved a goodbye as she watched her 'two daughters' walk down to the edge of the driveway. She was always amazed at the relationship between Alex and Julia. Despite the fact that they were twelve years apart and hadn't been raised together, they were the best of friends.

Starr was eternally grateful that she had gotten the chance to be a part of Julia's life—the daughter she'd given up at the age of sixteen. Thank God she had been on good terms with Michael and Marcie McBain—Julia's adoptive parents—who had allowed Starr to watch her grow up.

And now, to see Julia—the daughter she'd had far too soon—and Alex—the daughter she'd given birth to in the midst of a dismal relationship—have that chance to be real sisters was wonderful. Starr was forever grateful that her life had turned out as good as she'd once imagined.

Starr walked to the desk that held the phone. She picked it up hesitantly and dialed that ever familiar number. When he answered, she remembered why she'd once loved him for a brief moment in time.

"Hello?"

"Hi Dillon, it's me," She said quietly. She could hear him in the background sighing.

"Hi Starr."

"I was calling you to apologize and tell you what an ass I am," She said and could almost hear laughter.

"Oh really. Why the sudden change of heart?" He asked haughtily.

"I should have never tried to keep you away from Alex," She began quietly. "I hope that you will accept my apology and try not to take it out on our daughter."

"I would never do that," he admonished.

"I know. And I also know that I should be grateful that my daughter has such a great father," She said quietly. "I was also calling to ask if it is possible that Alex come and stay for the weekend with you. Julia McBain is coming to visit Mattie Drake and she asked if she could bring Alex along. They would be there on Friday night and would come home on Sunday afternoon. I know its short notice but—"

He cut her off. "Yes, that'd be great."

"Oh—okay. Alex is really excited," Starr replied quickly.

"Tell her I'm looking forward to it. Will Julia bring her by the Quartermaine Mansion?" Dillon asked, glancing at the clock. He had a meeting at the Metrocourt in a half an hour.

"Yes, I'll have her do that," Starr replied before saying her goodbyes. After she hung up the phone, she smiled. There, her good deed for the week was done.

**XXXXXX**

Molly put the phone back on its hook. She'd been on the phone from the moment she'd gotten to the office that morning. It hadn't stopped ringing. Kate had instructed her to deal with the publisher of the magazine and to make certain that the photo shoot with _Fusion_ was set in stone.

And now, after nearly six hours, she was finished.

She stood up and was about to go get some coffee when the elevator door opened and Maxie Jones-Spinelli walked out.

"Is Kate here?" She barked, striding to the closed door of the fashionista's office.

Molly stood there for a moment before she gained her composer. "Uh, no. She's not. She left early—Addy's dance recital. Is there something I can help you with?"

Maxie spun around and faced Molly. "Not really. I just needed Kate's advice. I'm panicking right now. I have two weeks to get fifty new designs out and ready to be made into the gowns. I have no idea how that's going to happen!"

_Maxie doesn't do panic so this must be really bad_, Molly thought inwardly and smiled on the outside. "Well, I'm sure that you can do it. You've kept _Crimson _afloat before by yourself."

"Did you not hear me? _Fifty _new designs. I'm an artist, I don't work well on time schedules," Maxie was practically screaming now. She paced back and forth.

Molly held her hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay. Stop. You are going to wear a path in the floor and Kate will not like that. I'll help you if I can, but I'm not really a designer."

"You are if you're working here. Working here is like being groomed for your own career. Then when you make it big, Kate'll take on some new fashion hopeful," Maxie replied, pulling a stack of folders out of her bag. "Here's what I was thinking…"

**XXXXXX**

Morgan stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor. He saw Mattie standing at the nurses' station with her back to him. He shifted the tray of coffee cups and crept up behind her.

Mattie was almost finished filling out the last chart. Then she could go home. She was very tired and her feet were screaming. While there hadn't been any major emergencies, she had had a steady stream of patients. That's what she got for going into obstetrics and gynecology, as her father would tell her. He was still hurt that she hadn't chosen neurology as was tradition in the Drake Family.

Morgan came up behind her and dangled the coffee and cookies in front of her face. She smiled as she set the pen down and turned around. Wrapping her arms around him, she suddenly got a second wind and was no longer as tired as before.

"Hi, I was just thinking about you," She whispered.

"I hope that it was only good thoughts," he whispered back.

"Oh of course, and I was thinking about chocolate chip cookies—Kelly's chocolate chip cookies," She pulled back and eyed the white paper bag in his hand.

"They're the best and my favorite doctor deserves only the best. I bribed Lulu into making a fresh batch," Morgan replied, pulling one out of the bag and handing it to her.

Mattie broke off a corner and ate it. She closed her eyes to savor the cookie. "Oh bless her—and you."

Morgan smiled. "How about we go back to your place and order takeout. I hear that Sarah's working the night shift at PCPD."

She eyed him. "Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

"And how'd you hear that?" She took a sip of the coffee.

"A little bird," Morgan replied simply.

Mattie shrugged. "Oh, okay. Well your plan sounds great, just let me get changed and I'll meet you here in fifteen minutes."

Morgan nodded and watched her walk off. How did he get so lucky? Mattie was the perfect girl and he was hoping that she'd agree to become his wife very soon. He had plans to propose at the charity ball at Wyndemere, but he wasn't sure if he could keep a secret that long.

**So, how it is so far? I see that there are mixed reactions about Dillon Quartermaine and Starr Manning. But in this story, they are divorced now after a brief, almost loveless marriage because both were still in love with their first loves. Regardless, please keep reading and reviewing. I didn't get as many reviews last time. For my current readers, tell people to read my story! I really enjoy reading the reviews. Enjoy!**


	11. Old Loves and New Surprses

**Okay, so I hope that if you are reading this chapter, that by now you enjoy it. This is my disclaimer: I am not a doctor and have no desire to be a doctor. Therefore, the medical terminology is basic at best. I hope that no one is offended, but I just like to de-stress by writing fan fiction and don't have a lot of time to do research to find out the facts. Also, this chapter is a stretch because it just happened. I don't usually like the dead-person-comes- back-to-life storyline, but it seemed to work. Please bear with me. First and foremost, ENJOY!**

"Dad!" Alex announced as she pushed open the car door and raced to the house. It was nearly nine o' clock the following night when she and Julia finally arrived in Port Charles. Thanks to the fact that Alex had a long weekend from school, they were able to leave earlier than expected. Julia pulled up to the Quartermaine Mansion and waited until Alex was safely inside with her father. With a wave, she drove off toward town.

"Hey baby!" Dillon said, giving his daughter a hug. "How was the trip?"

"It was long, but okay. I couldn't wait to get here. Is Grandma here?" Alex asked, as she entered the foyer and Dillon shut the door. Tracy Quartermaine descended the stairs regally.

"Is that my granddaughter I hear?" She called. Once she got to the bottom, she opened her arms and Alex ran into them.

"Hi grandma!" Alex said.

"My girl, I'm so glad you could come," Tracy replied. She hadn't lost her look of a Quartermaine—though that was in part to frequent trips to the surgeon. Her hair was still a dark brown and her eyes continued to snap along with her mouth.

Dillon glanced up at the clock. "Alex, it's getting late, you can visit with your grandma tomorrow, but for now, you should get to bed. We'll go to Kelly's for breakfast tomorrow morning," he led her upstairs and placed her overnight bag in one of the many spare bedrooms.

"Okay, dad. Night grandma!" She called. With a hug to her father, she closed the door and prepared for bed.

XXXXXX

It was still early on Saturday morning when she pulled the rental car into a parking spot near the pier. She didn't know why she was back here. After all these years, she hadn't stopped thinking about Port Charles. Every new city, every new mission, Port Charles had been on her mind. She thought about coming back, but something had always changed her mind at the last moment.

But now she was back. And she didn't know exactly why.

She got out of the car and began walking. Her walk led her to a place that was filled with memories and regrets. A place that was second only to General Hospital in being the heart of Port Charles.

Kelly's.

She peeked in the window and what she saw made her heart stop. She couldn't say that she hadn't thought of him in years because that was a lie. She hadn't stopped thinking about him, wondering if circumstances had been different, would they have been together. But in her heart, she knew that because of the choices she'd made, Dillon Quartermaine would never be her prince charming.

Dillon was sitting at a table—their table—with a young girl. She was startled to realize for the first time that there was a chance that Dillon had moved on and married someone else, even while she hadn't. Was that young girl his daughter? He'd married and had a child with someone else. That was her reality and nothing she could do would change it.

Turning away from the scene at the restaurant, she hurried away toward her car. There was one more place she wanted to visit while she was in Port Charles because she wouldn't be able to come back. There was too much at risk for that.

The cemetery was deserted as she walked over the frozen ground. She had to see where she'd been 'buried'. But what she saw next would surprise her and devastate her more than seeing Dillon.

Georgie walked up to her stone and read what her family had said about her.

_Georgianna Jones_

_March 7, 1988 – December 17, 2007_

_An Angel Lost _

She wasn't lost, Georgie wanted to tell them. How she wished that she could go over to Uncle Mac's house and knock on the door. She'd wait until he recovered from the shock then she'd tell him what happened to her in the last twenty-eight years. It was still hard to believe that it had been that long.

She touched the cold rock and then stood up. As she was walking away, a bouquet of red roses caught her eye. They were lying on the next plot over from her 'grave'. She leaned down and brushed the snow away and then choked back a cry.

_Robin Scorpio-Drake_

_October 12, 1978 – December 5, 2027_

_A determined and loving doctor, wife, mother and friend_

_She will be greatly missed_

Robin. She'd missed the chance to say goodbye. She'd let the years go by and she'd never gotten to tell her cousin goodbye. At least Robin had found happiness. She obviously married Patrick, but with a disease like HIV, she hadn't been given a choice with life.

Georgie sighed and stood again. Life was full of choices and some choices you couldn't take back. She walked back over the snowy ground and got in her car. She drove out of the cemetery and to the motel at the edge of town. She didn't want to stay in town for fear that she might be discovered, but she wasn't through with Port Charles just yet.

The sky was clear and snow fell lightly on the ground. She looked ahead in the road, but suddenly her car hit a patch of ice and she went skidding to the side of the road. Her memories were the last thoughts in her head as darkness claimed her.

XXXXXX

"Female, late forties, no I.D.," the paramedic barked as he pushed the gurney through the elevator door and onto the fifth floor of General Hospital.

"Lacerations and a gash to her head. She's unconscious. She regained consciousness for a second, but it didn't last," his partner added.

Mattie rushed to the gurney and used her stethoscope to feel for a heartbeat. "Okay, page Dr. Drake. Get her into exam room five. Hurry people!"

"Get an I.V. in her stat."

"She's bleeding from a head wound."

Mattie worked to stop the bleeds as Patrick raced inside the room and assessed the situation. "She's got shrapnel stuck in her skull," He said while Mattie nodded.

Suddenly the machines began to beep. "Her heart rate is dropping," a nurse said and reached for the paddles.

Mattie took them and after applying the protective pads, she placed the paddles on the patient's chest. "Charge to 200. Clear!" She zapped the paddles and charged the woman's heart. Nothing happened.

"Charge to 300. Clear!" Finally the monitor showed signs of creeping upward and the beeps became even again. Mattie breathed a sigh. "Okay, she's stable for the moment. We need to get her into surgery, Dr. Drake."

"What we need right now is a CAT scan to see if there is a brain bleed," Patrick ordered and sent the nurses scattering. "We also need to find out whom the patient is and if she has a power of attorney."

Mattie wiped the sweat off her forehead and stood next to her father. "What is the prognosis?"

"Truthfully? I don't know. I suspect that she will need surgery, but she needs someone to make the decisions for her," Patrick sighed. He walked out of the room to give the nurses room to get her ready for the tests now that she was stable.

Mattie followed her father intent on finding out the identity. She walked up to the nurses' station. Elizabeth Webber was standing behind the desk working on charts. "Elizabeth, when the paramedics brought the patient in, did they bring any belongings with her?"

"Um, yes they did. Let me see…" Elizabeth trailed off. She reached under the desk for a bag. Pulling a wallet out, she opened it and looked at the I.D. "Geor—"She stopped abruptly and looked up at Mattie. Taking a breath, she began again. "It says Georgie Jones."

Mattie frowned. "What? How can that be? Georgie Jones as in my late aunt? Let me see," She took the wallet from Elizabeth and studied the picture. It looked like the framed photo of her mother's cousin that was on the wall in her father's house, but the woman in the picture looked older. "I don't understand."

Elizabeth shook her head. She dug through the purse and pulled out a badge. Opening it, she showed it to Mattie. "Georgianna Jones, WSB. This is too weird. I need to call my Aunt Maxie. She needs to identify her, if she is who the tag says she is."

"I don't think that that is a good idea," Elizabeth warned.

"She needs to know this. Her sister might be alive after all these years," Mattie argued.

"Mattie, think about it. What would you do if the sister whom you thought was dead for the last twenty-nine years suddenly turned up alive?" Elizabeth reasoned. And Mattie saw her point. Maxie would freak and her heart wasn't the best. Better to wait until they were sure.

"How about I call Cameron and see if he can run a check on her? We'll see who she really and then if the story checks out, we'll call Mac Scorpio and Maxie."

"Okay, that's fine. I've got to go see if the tests are back," Mattie replied and hurried down the hall.

Elizabeth picked up the phone and dialed the PCPD phone number. When Cameron came to the phone, she said, "Hi Cam, its mom. I need to ask you a favor…"

XXXXXX

Cameron glanced at the computer screen. The database never lied. According to the United States government, Georgie Jones was most definitely alive and had been working for the World Security Bureau for almost thirty years.

He reached for the phone and dialed General Hospital. Elizabeth answered, "Fifth floor nurses' station, Nurse Webber speaking."

"Mom, it's me. The patient checks out. It's definitely Georgie Jones and she's not married, nor has ever been. Do you want me to contact her family here in PC?"

Elizabeth sighed. "No. I'll do it. But if you could keep quiet about this for a while, I'd really appreciate it."

"Sure, no problem. Look, I've got to go." He hung up the phone just as Lucky Spencer, the current commissioner and Cam's onetime step-father, was motioning for him.

XXXXXX

Elizabeth replaced the phone just as Mattie was coming around the corner. "Cam checked the tags and she's definitely the real Georgie Jones."

"Now, can we call Maxie and Mac? We need consent to do surgery. Did you find out if she was married? Because if that's the case, we'd have to have consent from her husband."

Elizabeth shook her head as she picked up the phone again. She looked up Maxie Jones-Spinelli's number in the computer and dialed it. Mattie stood by and waited.

"Hi, this is Nurse Webber at General Hospital; I'd like to speak to Maxie."

"Sure, just one second," the person on the other end of the phone said. Seconds later, Maxie picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She said, and Elizabeth sighed.

"Hi Maxie, this is Elizabeth Webber at General Hospital. I was wondering if there was any way that you could come down to the hospital now. We need to discuss a very important matter with you."

"Uh, sure. Wait. Did something happen? Is it Mattie or Mac?" Maxie began to sound worried.

"No, no. nothing like that. If you could just come down to GH, it would be great," Elizabeth added and once she got confirmation from Maxie, she hung up the phone.

Mattie shrugged. "Okay, here goes nothing. But it looks as though everything's going to hit the fan. Page me when she gets here." She walked off to find her father. Since he was Georgie's main doctor, he should be there when Mattie broke the news to Maxie.


	12. Save My Sister

Maxie rushed through the elevator doors. She was slightly out of breath when she reached the nurses' desk, but didn't care. Something was surely wrong. She'd been going to her brain to try and figure out what was so important that Elizabeth Webber had asked her to come to GH.

Maxie saw Patrick standing on the other side of the counter reading a chart. "Patrick!" She called, as he looked up.

"Maxie." Patrick looked up, surprised to see her so quickly. "Did Mattie call you?"

Maxie shook her head. "No. Elizabeth Webber called. What's wrong? Did something happen? Elizabeth wouldn't tell me anything."

"No, no. It's nothing like that. Everyone's fine, well, almost everyone. Maxie, come sit for a moment. I'll page Mattie. She wants to tell you."

Maxie frowned, but sat nonetheless. "Tell me what? Why is everyone speaking in riddles? What's wrong?" She through her hands up in exasperation.

Moments later, Mattie appeared. She wore a grim look on her face. "Hi Maxie."

"Hi, Mattie."

Patrick began first. "Maxie, a patient was brought in this morning. She was a victim of a car crash out on the highway. Her car hit a patch of ice and went off the road. The problem was, she didn't have I.D. When we looked through her belongings, we found a badge for the World Security Bureau."

Maxie frowned. Now, _that_ wasn't something she'd heard in a while. Her biological father had worked for the WSB for years, but after his death, she hadn't thought of it. "Why are you telling me this? I don't understand."

"Maxie. Listen to me. The badge belonged to a Georgianna Jones," Mattie said quickly, gauging Maxie's reaction.

"No. That can't be possible. She's dead, Georgie's dead. I saw her body in the park. I spoke at her funeral. She's dead. I know she is…" she broke off, the tears making her unable to speak. She covered her face with her hands for a moment, and then looked back at Patrick for confirmation.

"We checked with PCPD. Georgie Jones is definitely alive and she's an agent with the WSB," Mattie replied gently.

"Maxie, listen to me, this is very important," Patrick instructed. "Because she can't consent for herself, and as you are her closest relative, you need to sign for her. Georgie needs surgery to save her life. Maxie, do you understand me?" Patrick's voice held an air of authority.

Maxie sucked in a breath. "Yes, I understand. Where do I sign? I lost my sister once. There's no way in hell that I'm losing her again." She boldly wrote her signature on the papers that Mattie held. Patrick stood up.

"I'm going to scrub in. Maxie, Georgie's in the best of hands. Mattie will stay with you and I'll come out when I'm done."

"Patrick." Maxie called as he started to walk away.

He stopped and turned. "What?"

"Save her please. Save my sister. I already lost Robin, I can't lose Georgie too—again," Maxie said, the tears falling again. Mattie hugged her aunt and they sat down on the chairs. It was going to be a long wait.

XXXXXX

Maxie looked at Mattie. "I don't understand. It's been twenty-nine years. I saw her. She was cold, dead. She was gone. And now she back, alive? I don't get it. Why? Why didn't she come home sooner? It's been a lifetime."

"I don't know. But I'm sure that Georgie had a reason. She would have come back if she could. We will just have to wait until she's out of surgery and wakes up," Mattie reasoned.

Maxie whipped around. "So, she's going to be okay? The surgery is going to come out okay? Please Mattie. Tell me that my sister will be okay."

Mattie hesitated. "Maxie. We—"

She was cut off by the sound of the elevator door opening. Spinelli raced through but stopped suddenly when he saw Mattie and Maxie. "Maximista! Why didn't you call me?"

"I-I didn't think about it. Sorry," Maxie began pacing back and forth.

"What happened?" Spinelli demanded, watching his wife pace and his niece wring her hands. _It was odd_, he thought. Maxie rarely worried and Mattie was usually so sure of herself that she never second-guessed anything.

"Maxie, sit down. Think of your heart," Mattie ordered.

Maxie laughed, though it sounded hollow. "It's ironic, don't you think? That it's Georgie and Robin who were the first to die? And I, the one who cheated death, am still alive and kicking."But she sat anyway.

"That's not true—"Mattie began, but Spinelli cut her off.

"Would someone please tell me what is going on?" he ordered.

"Georgie. She's alive," Maxie replied simply.

Spinelli frowned. "What are you talking about? I know she's dead. I found her on the steps."

"It was a lie."

"Maxie, what are you talking about?" Spinelli looked at Mattie, who sighed.

"We don't know what happened. All we know is that a female car accident victim was brought to the hospital with brain bleeds and no I.D. We looked through her belongings and found a WSB badge with the name Georgianna Jones. She's in the O.R. right now being operated on by my father. We won't know anything until she's in recovery and wakes up," Mattie replied. She reached for Maxie's hand and squeezed. "It's going to be okay."

"How can you know that? Georgie's been God knows where for the last _twenty-nine _years and now she's fighting for her life," Maxie cried. Then she brightened. "Spinelli, I knew there was a reason I stayed with you for all these years. You can look her up. See what she's been up to in the past twenty-nine years."

Spinelli nodded as if glad to have something productive to do. "I'll get right on it, but are you sure that you are okay?"

Maxie smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. Go, please, put your cyber skills to the test."

Spinelli kissed her cheek and walked to the elevator. With a wave, he disappeared as the door closed.

Maxie sighed. "It's going to be a long day."

Mattie smiled sadly. Georgie had to be okay. She didn't think that Maxie could bear losing her all over again. She squeezed Maxie's hand again and prayed to some god that her aunt would be okay.

XXXXXX

Sarah Lansing was sitting at her desk in the bullpen at PCPD. She was almost finished with her paperwork and was ready to call it a day and go home. She signed her name with a flourish and walked the paperwork to Lucky Spencer's office.

He was on the phone when she knocked. Motioning her inside, he spoke quickly, "Yes, we are investigating it. I've already sent two detectives to the hospital, but the victim just got out of surgery. She's not expected to be awake until tomorrow at the earliest."

"Yes, yes. I understand, Agent Brennan. I will report any new developments to the agency as soon as they come up," Lucky added quickly. Finally, the phone call was over and Lucky breathed a sigh. "I hate dealing with government agencies," he said, for Sarah's benefit.

"Is that that accident out on the highway?" She asked, putting the report on his desk.

"Yes, and as the victim's been identified at Georgie Jones, WSB agent, the agency is breathing down my neck. It looks as if it is an accident, but with an undercover agent, you can't be too careful."

Sarah frowned. "Wait, did you say Georgie Jones? I thought that she was dead. I thought that she was a victim of the TMK."

"So did the greater Port Charles," Lucky replied dryly.

"But is it really her?" Sarah asked, still not completely understanding.

"We checked her out. And WSB says that Georgie Jones has been an undercover agent for the last twenty-nine years," Lucky shrugged. "You know Port Charles, sometimes people just don't stay dead."

Sarah nodded, even though she didn't see how it could be possible. She'd seen the case report. Georgie Jones was definitely dead when she was discovered on the steps at the East entrance to the park. She had been killed by the Text Message Killer or TMK, AKA Lila Rae Alcazar's brother Diego.

Sarah shook her head as she walked out of the commissioner's office and out of PCPD for the wintry air. Things were definitely not what they seemed.

XXXXXX

Molly sat back in her chair and rubbed her eyes. She was finally done. The layout for Fusion's perfume was finished and in a matter of moments, would be on its way to the publisher. She had spent the last two days working on the layout and was so glad that it was done.

Although the layout hadn't taken her much time, she'd been helping Maxie with the designs for Fusion and when Maxie had received the phone call from the hospital and had rushed off quickly, Molly had stayed behind to deal with it.

She stowed all of the designs away and stood up. Kate was in her office on the phone when she reached the door.

"No. I want that model that was featured in Giselle's layout last year. What was her name—Jenny something?" Kate was quiet for a moment. "Yes, that's it—Jenny Martin. I want her. She's the biggest and the brightest at the moment. Okay, yes. I'll hold."

Sighing, Kate set the phone down and pressed the speaker button. She looked up at Molly. "Did Maxie finish the designs?"

"Almost, she got a phone call and rushed off to the hospital," Molly replied.

Kate looked concerned. "Oh, I hope that everything is all right." Then the phone blinked. Kate picked it up. "Yes, this is Kate Howard-Corinthos." She waved at Molly, who left the office and was in the elevator heading down to the ground level of the Metrocourt before Kate could say anything else.

Molly shivered and burrowed deeper into coat as she walked to her car. She had promised that she would babysit for Kristina's kids tonight, although all she wanted to do was to go home and take a bath with a glass of chilled wine. But when duty called, Molly knew better that to shirk to it.

She drove across town and just as she pulled into Kristina's driveway, it began to snow. Molly hurried through the little white flakes to get to the door. Kristina swung it open just as Molly's gloved hand touched the knob.

"Hi! Thank god you're here. The hospital just paged me. I have to get there as soon as possible. Jack should be home by ten or so. But if you want to, feel free to stay the night. Taylor, Michael, be good for your aunt," She warned, eyeing her children.

"We'll be fine. We are going to have a great time, won't we, guys?" Molly looked at the kids, both of whom were nodding.

"I hope that my house isn't in shambles when I come home, Moll. Don't think I've forgotten how we were when Sam babysat us."

Molly grinned. "Don't be a spoilsport. We'll clean everything up. Now go, before they page you again," She said, pushing Kristina toward the door. Kristina waved at the kids and hurried to her car. Moments later, she was pulling out of the driveway and heading down the street toward GH.

Molly turned back to Michael and Taylor. She rubbed her hands together and grinned. "Okay, she's gone. Now we get to have fun…"

XXXXXX

Bree slapped the file down on the desk. She was tired of fielding phone calls. All day she'd been on the phone with various agencies and police departments. Well, mostly just Port Charles Police Department.

All this trouble because of Georgie Jones. She was tempted to travel to Port Charles so she could get perspective of the entire case. Why Georgie had gone back to Port Charles, she didn't know. And of all the places in the world to be in a car accident, it had to be the city that believed that she was dead.

Bree didn't understand how she could have lived a double life for all these years. It was too surreal to believe. Perhaps it was because Bree was so close to her family that she couldn't imagine being away from them for so long.

Sighing, she stood up and stalked out of the office. While she wanted to go to Port Charles and make sure that Georgie was alright, she wanted to go home even more. Home to Llanview, home to the Lord Mansion, home to—she couldn't actually believe she was saying this—her mother. She just wanted to go home.

Her supervisor promised that as soon at the assignment was done, she could have a break. But he couldn't stand to lose her forever. She was too good an agent. But at this point, Bree was thinking that she wanted an out.

She was surprised to be thinking that. She had always wanted to be a cop. For as long as she could remember, she wanted that adrenaline rush. And after she'd graduated from the police academy in Llanview, the opportunity to work at the WSB came up. And it was too good to pass.

And up until now, she'd never regretted her decision.

Something had changed. Maybe it was the wear of traveling, of spending every other year in a different town, different city, sometimes even a different country. She was tired of it, of all of it.

Bree reached for the phone. She dialed that familiar number and when her supervisor picked up the other line; she knew exactly what she was going to say. "I want out."

"What?"

"I want, no, I need a vacation. I'm getting burned out here. Please, let me go home for a while. Then when I come back, maybe I won't feel as though I want to quit the WSB," Bree said, shrugging into her coat.

"Okay."

"I really need a vacation—I mean, I know that the case isn't solved, but I can find someone to cover for—wait, what did you say?" Bree stopped suddenly as if just hearing him.

He chuckled. "I like you Brennan. You're a good agent and I don't want to lose you. Take a week. Hell, take a month. Just get rested up because you are too good to burn out."

"Oh. Sir, thank you," Bree replied as they said their goodbyes. When she hung up the phone, she hurried out of the office and outside into the wintery air. She jogged the six blocks to her apartment and hurried inside. Thirty minutes later, she was packed and had a seat reserved on the next flight to Philadelphia. Then from there, it would be home to Llanview. She couldn't wait to surprise her mother.

XXXXXX

**Okay, so how is it? I especially like writing for Bree and have a few plans in mind for her. Don't worry, Georgie is going to be okay, but Maxie will have a few monologues about losing her sister for the second time. I want to get to the big ball at Wyndemere because of Mattie and Morgan. They will have happiness. Please read and review. I love to read the reviews because I like to see how people like what I write. Above all, enjoy!**


	13. Coming Home

Mattie looked up as her father came towards her. He was dressed in green scrubs that were splattered with blood—Georgie's blood. Maxie saw it too as she stood up suddenly and clutched Mattie's hand.

"Is she okay?" her voice was small.

Patrick sighed. "We were able to stop the bleeding. But it will be touch and go for a while."

"Is she in recovery?" Mattie asked, trying to read his face for the truth about her aunt's case.

"Yes, she's in recovery. But she won't wake up until tomorrow at least," Patrick replied, running a hand through his hair.

"C-can I see her?" Maxie asked timidly.

Patrick nodded, "But only one at a time."

Mattie took a hold of Maxie's hand again. "Come on, I'll take you to the ICU." She gave her father a long look which told him that she was not finished looking for information.

But for the moment, Mattie led Maxie down the hall toward the ICU ward. Maxie stopped at the door to Georgie's room.

"I don't think that I can go in," She said quietly.

"Yes, you can. You know that you want to, Maxie. I'll be right out here,' Mattie replied, giving the blond woman a small push. Maxie entered the room and walked over to the bed.

She put a hand to her mouth in her surprise. To see Georgie after all these years, she couldn't believe it. Georgie was so still and Maxie was half afraid that if she blinked, this moment would be just a dream

Maxie pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down. She couldn't bring herself to hold her sister's hand—not yet anyway. "Oh Georgie, why?"

Maxie felt tears begin to fall. She wiped them off her cheeks. "Why didn't you come home? I've spent the last twenty-nine years thinking you were dead and now when I find out that you are really alive, you are on the brink of death once again. It's not fair. I've missed you so much."

She took a deep breath and reached out. She grabbed her sister's limp hand. "You've missed out on so much. I'm sure that you would laugh, but after you—left—Spinelli and I became best friends. We went through a lot together and we—we got married. Yeah, hard to believe, I know. But Spinelli and I actually did the deed. And we are happy—Thank God. And now we have two girls—Fiona and Julia. Julia's just like you—she's sweet and caring, and Fi's is so me. Mac always says that its fate's way of paying me back for all the worries I caused for him."

"You have to be okay, Georgie. You hear me? I will not lose you again. You _are _going to be okay. You are strong, I know you are and you will survive," Maxie said adamantly. She stood up and placed a gentle kiss on her sister's pale forehead. Pushing back the tears, she turned and crept out into the hallway.

Mattie was waiting for her. "Are you okay?" She reached up and brushed the hair out of Maxie's eyes.

"Yeah," Maxie sighed. "Has Spinelli gotten back yet?"

"Um, no. not yet," Mattie replied. "Look, I have rounds in a few minutes. Are you going to be okay?"

Maxie smiled. "Sure, I'll be fine. Is it okay if I stay here?"

Mattie nodded. "That's fine. Look, Aunt Maxie, my dad is happy with the results of the surgery. Georgie had a good chance of surviving. Have a little faith." With a wave, she walked down the hall, leaving Maxie staring after her. How had Mattie become so wise? Once upon a time ago, she was a precocious little girl and now—now she was this spectacular woman. How times changed.

XXXXXX

Sam walked into the living room of the house she and Lucky had shared for the seventeen years of marriage. She was surprised when Lucky had called her from the house so early in the afternoon. He rarely left work early and when he did, something was obviously wrong.

"Lucky?" She called, setting her purse on the table and shrugging out of her coat. She walked into the kitchen and stopped when she saw him sitting at the kitchen table, staring at a cup of coffee.

"Lucky? What's wrong?" Sam took a seat across from him. He wore a strange look on his face.

He glanced up at her. "Hey. You didn't have to come home early."

She frowned. "You sounded funny on the phone. Of course, I'm going to come home early. Is it the girls? Your sister? Nikolas?"

He shook his head. "No, everyone's fine. I just had a strange day. Not that I'm surprised though. After all, it's Port Charles. Strange things happen all the time and without warning."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Lucky, you're talking in riddles. I don't understand." She stood up to get a glass of water and drank deep.

"There was an accident out on the highway. Not far from Queen of Angels and the cemetery. I sent some uniforms out. Figured it was pretty straightforward. It was a female victim that was taken to the hospital with a gash in her head. At the hospital, they went through her belongings. She had a badge—a WSB badge," Lucky replied, glancing away from Sam.

"WSB? Like the World Security Bureau?" Sam asked credulously. Then she frowned. "I don't understand. Why does that make you so upset?"

"Because the badge said Agent Georgianna Jones."

"What? Georgie Jones? As in Maxie Jones-Spinelli's sister—dead sister? She died almost thirty years ago," Sam asked.

"Yeah. The same Georgie Jones who was supposedly murdered on December 17th, 2007. We checked it out. She's alive and been working for the WSB for nearly twenty-eight years. I talked to an Agent Bree Buchanan. She's worked with Georgie and her superior verified," Lucky stood up and walked to the window.

"Wow. Is she okay? Georgie, I mean."

"She's out of surgery. Patrick Drake operated on her and Maxie was notified. She's already seen her. The accident was only an accident. Black ice," he stood up and went to the phone to call his sister. Lulu had been somewhat friends with Georgie when she'd been alive and she might want to know.

"Wow," Sam replied, standing up and walking out of the room. She had to call Maxie and find out how she was.

XXXXXX

The Cassadine Mansion was a flurry of activity the following day as people worked to finish preparations for the ball that night. The ball room had been cleaned and decorated from top to bottom and the attached dining and sitting rooms were being readied for fifty or so guests that would occupy the rooms.

Spencer walked into the study and saw his father seated behind the big mahogany desk. He looked deep in thought. "Hey."

Nikolas looked in surprise. "Hello. I didn't see you."

Spencer laughed. "You looked like you were asleep with your eyes open." He walked to the table and poured a glass of water.

"Oh you. I'm sorry. I was just perusing the activity in the ballroom. It looks good. You did a fantastic job, Spence," Nikolas replied, standing up. He walked to the door just as Molly came racing through it. "Whoa!" he caught her in a hug and lifted her off her feet.

"Hi Nik! How are you?" She squealed. She hugged him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Happy to be home. How's your mother?" he set her back on the ground and she straightened her clothes as she slipped off her coat.

Molly smiled. "She's great. And she's been vying for Maxie's latest creation for the ball. Between her and Diane, they keep Maxie in good business."

Nikolas laughed. "I'm sure they have. Are she and Jerry still together?"

Molly's eyes darkened. She frowned. "Yes." She turned her attention to Spencer. "So…what do we have to do?"

"Nothing," Miranda replied as she came sweeping into the room. She was dressed in a dark purple velour sweat suit and her hair was already in its up-do for the evening. "Everything's perfect. You, my Molly, need to go upstairs so we can start getting ready. Nadine's up doing the girls' hair and she will do yours soon." She linked an arm through Molly's and with a wave to Spence, led the younger woman up the sweeping staircase.

Spencer blew out a breath. "Wow. She's good."

Nikolas laughed. "She is. And she's right. Everything is under control. I'm going to walk down to the launch to make sure that the boats are ready." He waved to his son and walked out into the foyer.

Spence gave a wave. He might as well make himself useful by checking the number of guests expected at what was looking to be the society event of the decade.

XXXXXX

Lulu Zacchara walked onto the fifth floor of General Hospital. She was on a mission. She needed to see if it was true for herself. After that phone call from her brother the following evening, she had to know for sure.

With barely a wave of acknowledgement to her former sister-in-law, Elizabeth, she hurried passed the nurses' station to the ICU wing. It was there that she knew the truth.

The door read Georgianna Jones. She walked closer to the window and peeked inside. The woman lying in the bed was pale. She looked like she was tall. Her hair was a reddish color. She looked too much like the Georgie she remembered.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Georgie. So you have to get better," She whispered.

"Lulu?"

Lulu jumped when for a moment, she thought that it was Georgie speaking to her. But when she realized that the voice was from behind, she turned around and saw Maxie standing in the doorway. "Hi, Maxie."

"What are you doing here?" Maxie walked inside and set her purse on the table.

Lulu shrugged. "Lucky told me about it and I had to see her for myself."

"I see, well, keep it quiet for a little while longer. Mac doesn't know yet," Maxie replied.

"You didn't tell him that his daughter is alive?" Lulu practically screeched.

Maxie shook her head. "I haven't had a chance yet. I will though. Please, Lulu."

Lulu nodded. "I'll keep it quiet. Are you going to the ball tonight?"

"Yes, I already finished all the special order dresses. There were about seven gowns. I'm surprised that you didn't call me," Maxie eyed the other blond woman.

Lulu shrugged. "You know, well, I was in the city a couple of weeks ago and I picked up a Federico original…"

"_You?_ In Federico? Really Lulu, you're finally moving up in the world of fashion," Maxie chastised.

"Oh shut up. I was an assistant to Kate once upon a time. And as the wife of a business man like Johnny, I had to learn to be fashionable," Lulu told her. She walked toward the door. "Listen Maxie, if you need _anything_, call me…or Johnny. I have to go get ready for tonight. Do you want Johnny and I to wait for you and Spinelli?"

"No, no. That's okay. We'll be there around seven O'clock."

"Okay, see you later. Keep me posted as to her condition," Lulu replied, nodding to the unconscious Georgie. With a final wave, she exited the room and disappeared around the corner.

XXXXXX

Bree let herself inside Llanfair. She set her bags down on the floor and shrugged out of her coat. She then walked into the living room in search of her family.

"Hello?" She called out to the empty room. "Mom? Grandma?" she walked back out into the foyer and was about to begin climbing the stairs when she heard a sound behind her.

"Bree?" Viki Lord Banks exclaimed as she passed into the foyer. She had aged well—quite well, in fact, after she'd finally married Charlie Banks. Her short hair was silver now, but still sleek and full. She was dressed in a navy pantsuit which accented her slim body. "What you are you doing here?"

"Hi grandma," Bree said, crossing the room to close her grandmother in a hug. Viki pulled back to look at her granddaughter.

"That still doesn't tell me why you're here. I thought that you were on a case."

Bree laughed. "Yes, well, I needed a break. I was afraid that I would crumble under the pressure so I begged my supervisor to let me out."

"That's great, Bree. For how long?" Viki looked her granddaughter over. Bree looked tired and worn out, but a few weeks at Llanfair with her family would fix that.

"A month, maybe more. I might take a week to travel to Port Charles, NY though. A colleague was injured in a car accident and I want to see her."

"Oh, that's too bad. Was it WSB related?" Viki asked concerned. She drew her granddaughter into the family room. Bree sat on the couch and Viki sat across from her in the big arm chair.

"No, actually. It was just a car accident. It's really a long story, though," Bree smiled hoping that her grandmother would get the implication.

Viki did, apparently, as she moved on to another topic. "How are you, really?"

Bree sighed. "Oh, I'm okay. I'm just tired. The job in physically and mentally wearing and I needed a break. This was the first place I thought of." Then she brightened. "Where's mom? And Charlie?"

"Your mother is at BE and Charlie's at the diner, probably. He generally goes there for lunch with his cronies once a week or so. And your sister is at work," Viki replied. She stood up. "I'm going to get us some tea. Are you hungry or anything?"

"No. I'm fine. But I can get the tea, Grandma. Sit down," Bree said, standing up and walking into the kitchen. Viki followed.

"We'll get it together, just like old times," Viki answered.

Bree smiled. "Yes, let's." She hooked an arm through Viki's and together they walked into the kitchen. Yes, it was good to be home.

XXXXXX

**So, here's the same old plea…please review! I love to hear from my readers. If you have any suggestions, let me know. Although I have a question for you all: I don't know what to do about Sam and Lucky. Their little part was kind of corny and I don't know where to go from there. Lucky is the police commissioner and Sam is…I don't know. What should she do for a living? Something in fashion? Or a police officer? I don't know, what do you think? Please review! I love to read them. **


	14. On the Way to the Ball!

**Okay, I didn't get any reviews last time. Please review. I love to read other people's opinions about my writing. The next couple chapters are going to be about the ball itself. I have a few things planned for it. But no deaths like the real GH Black and White Ball of 2007. I also will revisit Bree and her friends and family in Llanview and might bring in a few new characters (well not new as in never seen before, new as in new to my story). Maybe a few characters from AMC and others from OLTL. Please review and above all, enjoy!**

Mattie looked critically at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a dress that Maxie specially designed for her. It was a deep jungle green that accented her eyes—or so Maxie said. The dress was tapered down the floor. Her hair was tied back in an elegant French braid and fastened with a silver hair clip. She wore tiny silver hoops on her ears and a diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist. Mattie sighed. No matter what she wore, she somehow managed to cast this cute-little-girl-trying-to-look-grown-up look. Well, she would just have to live with it because she hadn't been blessed with any overly-spectacular looks.

A knock on the door tore her attention away from the mirror. She walked over and opened it to find Sarah standing in front of her with a look of horror. "What's wrong?"

"My dress has a spot on it." She pointed to a small corner near the hem of the champagne-colored tea-length dress. Sure enough there was a small dark speck. "I had it dry-cleaned just two days ago after Maxie gave it to me. Do you think that they could have gotten that out?"

"It's okay. We'll try to get it out. I think that Windex works as a good stain remover. Do we have any?" Mattie soothed, taking the gown from her friend and walking out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. She reached under the sink and grabbed the bottle of Windex. Spraying a little on the spot, she used a clean cloth to rub it. After a few minutes, she stopped and examined the stain.

"There, it looks better. You can dry clean it again after the ball. But it's mostly out," She handed the dress back to Sarah.

"Oh Mattie, you are a lifesaver. Thanks so much. I have to go get ready. And so do you! Morgan is going to be here soon," Sarah replied, pushing Mattie toward her bedroom.

Mattie laughed. "Okay, okay. I'm going. I'm almost ready anyway. Although I'm not sure I like the gown."

Sarah's eyes widened. "Are you kidding? You look so beautiful. Maxie really outdid herself."

Mattie shook her head. "I never look quite grown up. I mean, I'm twenty-eight years old and I still get carded when I go to bars."

"Oh please, stop Mattie. You look spectacular, but you are going to be late. Morgan is coming in—" Sarah glanced at the clock on the wall. "—exactly thirty minutes. So go, finish getting ready."

Mattie walked back into her bedroom and slipped her feet into the strappy black heels. She fluffed her hair and put more powder on her cheeks. Just as she was walking out of the room, she heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it," she called, walking to the door and pulling it open. Morgan stood on the other side.

"Hi," Mattie said timidly. She held it open as he walked through.

"Hi yourself," Morgan replied, pulling her into a kiss. He deepened the kiss and for a moment, she wanted to just stay at the house instead of go to the party.

But as he pulled away, she managed to pull herself back together. Mattie reached for her coat and her clutch and called out a goodbye to Sarah, who was coming with her on/off boyfriend Jake Spencer. Soon they were off—in a car this time—to the launch to Spoon Island.

XXXXXX

Molly descended the main staircase at Wyndemere just as the hall clock was striking seven O'clock. She had no doubt that guests would begin to arrive within moments. She sashayed into the main parlor where Spencer was fidgeting with his tie in the mirror.

"Here, let me," she said, coming up behind him and fixing it. She smoothed the front of his suit. "There. Wow, Spence, you look great."

"You don't look so bad yourself," he commented. She looked beautiful in fact. Molly was dressed in a Maxie Jones-Spinelli Original—a floor length gown in a deep burgundy gathered at the waist and accented with silver beading on the bodice and hem. Her brown hair was half pulled up and tied back with a silver clip. She had on minimal jewelry—only a pair of diamonds sparkled on her ears. She was very elegant—very Cassadine.

"Well thank you. Where's Miranda?" Molly reached up to fluff her hair.

"She's upstairs still, as far as I know," Spencer answered and turned as the woman in question sauntered into the room.

Miranda was dressed in a dark blue dress was tight at the bodice and flowed down toward the floor. Her dark brown hair curled down her bare back and at her ears, she wore a pair of sapphire chandelier earrings. "No, I'm right here. Are we ready?" she clapped her hands. "This is it guys!"

Molly laughed. "You guys put together a fantastic party. We are going to raise a whole lot of money."

"Oh I hope so," Miranda replied softly. Then she hooked an arm through Spencer's and Molly's. "Come on, you two. We have guests to greet and a party to attend."

"Lead the way…" Molly laughed as the three of them walked out of the room and down the stairs toward the ball room.

XXXXXX

Alex stood at the bottom of the staircase at the Quartermaine Mansion. She was practically bouncing out of her strappy high heels in excitement. Her father had surprised her with an invitation to the charity ball at Wyndemere. And he'd surprised her with a new dress—better than any dress she'd ever worn—for the event.

"Daaad!" She called, impatient and annoyed that he was taking so long. And they said that women took longer than men to get ready.

Dillon jogged down the stairs just then. He looked very much at home dressed in the black tux. He grinned at his daughter. Alex had definitely inherited her mother's penchant for being intolerant to delay.

"Okay, okay. I'm ready," Dillon said, handing Alex her coat and grabbing his own. Moments later, they were out the door heading toward Spoon Island.

XXXXXX

"Maximista, are you ready to go?" Spinelli poked his head in Georgie's hospital room and whispered at his wife who was seated next to the bed wearing her own original dress.

Maxie looked up. She wore a faraway look on her face. "What?"

"It's almost seven o'clock. We need to get going if we're going to make the launch," Spinelli added, walking inside and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, of course. I'm coming…" she looked back at the unconscious Georgie. "I don't want to leave her. What if something happens when we're gone?"

"Then someone from the hospital will call us and we will come right back. You've been excited about this party for weeks. Come on, Maxie," he coaxed, drawing her to her feet.

"But all of her doctors are going to the ball, who will be here to make sure she's okay?" Maxie sounded somewhat like a small, lost child; which was something that worried Spinelli more than he'd have liked to admit.

"Maxie, there is always doctors on all. I'm sure that Mattie has already arranged for someone to examine Georgie. Now we must go," Spinelli replied, leading her out of the room and down the hallway toward the elevator.

Once they were safely inside the small metal box, he pushed the button labeled down and waited until they were safely on the ground level. Spinelli then led her to the car and made sure that she was buckled in. Maxie was acting like a child…and not in a good way. He hoped that Georgie would wake up soon because he was sure that his wife couldn't take much more of this. Maxie had always been the strong one, but now? He didn't want to think about it right now. Maybe later, he could convince her to go and talk with Lainey or someone professional.

XXXXXX

Alexis walked up the steps toward Wyndemere. She was dateless tonight. Jerry was…somewhere. Something had been off lately. She didn't know what it was, but there was something.

She lifted the hem of her dress as she climbed higher. _She was getting too old for this_, she thought. At nearly sixty, she considered herself in good shape, but some things were too much.

"Alexis!"

Alexis stopped and looked behind her. Diane Giambetti held up her dress as she sprinted up the stairs. When she reached her, she leaned over, half out of breath. "Whew, I'm getting too old for that."

Alexis laughed. "Where's Max tonight?" She looped an arm through Diane's and pulled her up toward the top of the steps.

"At work," Diane replied with disdain. "Jason called him moments before we were supposed to walk out of the door."

"So we're both dateless tonight," Alexis said brightly. Suddenly her night was looking up. They walked through the door and into the brightly lit ball room.

"There's Nikolas," Alexis said, leading Diane across the floor. "Nikolas!"

Nikolas turned and smiled when he saw her. "Alexis, how wonderful to see you!"

"I could say the same, my favorite jet-setting nephew," She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Where's Jerry," Nikolas asked, looking behind her.

Alexis frowned. "Don't ask. It's too long a story. Diane's my date tonight. She's dateless as well." She motioned to the woman beside her who smiled politely.

"Well, I hope that you both have a wonderful time. Alexis, you owe me a dance before the night is over."

Alexis smiled. "Of course. I'll see you later. Come on, Diane." She led the way toward the other side of the room. They were waylaid by a waiter who took their drink orders. As he walked away, Jasper Jax walked over toward them.

"Alexis!"

Alexis smiled and hugged him. "Jax, you never seem to age."

"I wish that were true," he replied wistfully. He kissed her on the cheek. "Although Carly with all her scheming keeps me young."

Alexis frowned. "I always said that Carly was all wrong for you."

"Now Alexis, you wouldn't have me so I lucked out with Carly. After all, she and I have been together for more than thirty years."

"Has it really been that long?" Alexis asked with a twinkle in her eye. She grinned and kissed his again, this time on the lips. Walking away, she glanced over her shoulder and laughed at the amused look on his face.

It was going to be an interesting evening.

XXXXXX

Mattie stepped off the launch and onto the dock. She looked up at the castle where she'd spent many long hours playing make-believe as a child. It was just like she'd imagined it.

Wyndemere was swathed in candles and light. There were fairy lights leading the way up the path to the castle and little candelabras on the stone wall that surrounded the magnificent house. It was like a dream. Mattie imagined being a princess up in the highest tower. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Morgan took her hand and led her up the stone stairs. "Yeah. When I was younger, I always liked to come and play with Spencer. We'd play knights and dragons." He smiled at the memory.

"Molly, Kristina and I used to pretend that we were princesses locked away and that our prince charming would come and rescue us," Mattie replied, picking up the hem of her dress.

"Did he ever make it?" Morgan asked, amused at her childhood games.

She turned at looked at him. There was a gleam in her eyes. "I'd say he did…yes, he definitely did." She reached up and kissed him full on the mouth. "Come on. I love parties and I will not be late to this one." Despite the bulk of her dress, she jogged the rest of the way of the steps.

XXXXXX

Patrick Drake stepped off the launch and made his way up the stone steps toward the castle. He was dateless tonight, as he'd been every night since Robin's death nine years earlier. He knew that it caused some laughs, being that once upon a time, he had been a playboy, unable to commit to one woman.

But Robin had changed that, had changed him and to this day, he thanked her for it. She had been the only woman for him and now, even after all these years, he still felt that he should honor that. After all, it had taken him long enough to commit.

They'd always done things a little backwards. But in Port Charles, backwards was considered the new forwards. It hadn't mattered that Robin had not only gotten pregnant before they'd gotten the chance to get married, she'd nearly given birth at the altar. The only thing that matter now, after nine years, was that they had gotten married, eventually.

He sighed. He still missed her. Even nine years later, he sometimes thought that he would walk into a room and see her. Or he'd hear her sarcastic remarks. Or he would need a consult on a case and she would have been the first person he'd called. But that was no more. And it was high time he moved on.

Not that he'd been at a loss for offers. It seemed that his well-meaning friends were always trying to set him up with some 'nice' woman. But he was too old to try something new. Especially because he still loved Robin.

Patrick was jolted out of his musings when he reached the top step. He walked toward the door and into a room bathed with light. There was music and food and people…lots of people. He stepped off to the side of the room, trying to find someone he knew. That was when he saw her.

For one brief wonderful second, he thought it was Robin—the love of his life. But then he saw it was the second love of his life—his little girl.

Mattie. That beautiful, talented woman with her mother's sable colored hair and his own dancing green eyes was his little girl. Where had all the time gone? When had she gone and grown up?

She was standing in the middle of a group of people. Squinting he could make out Molly Davis-Lansing, Sarah Lansing and the men he presumed were their dates. Also at his daughter's side was her own love, a rugged man, the son of Port Charles' infamous mobster, Morgan Corinthos-Jax.

He didn't know what exactly she saw in the man. Only that she'd been in love with him before she actually knew what love meant. Though Morgan was a nice enough guy, Patrick couldn't help but feel a little protective of his daughter—after all, wasn't it a father's prerogative?

He watched the two of them, Morgan with his hand in hers, Mattie leaning into him slightly. He and Robin hadn't really been like that when they'd been dating. No, they hadn't really dated conventionally. They'd been too busy sniping at each other. But it had all worked out in the end.

And for Mattie's sake, he hoped that she and Morgan's love for each other worked out. Everyone deserved to find happiness and is she found hers in a cop like Morgan, than he was happy.

Glancing back to the party, he scanned the rest of room for familiar faces. He saw Elizabeth Morgan standing with Nadine Cassadine and Kelly Hunter. He saw Maxie and Spinelli and his own brother Matt. He stopped looking when he heard his name being called.

"Patrick!"

He turned and saw Maxie walking toward him. He groaned inwardly because he knew exactly why she was seeking him out. "Hi Maxie."

"How's you-know-who?" Maxie whispered.

Patrick frowned. "You know…who?"

"Patrick!" Maxie hissed. "Keep your voice down."

"Why are we whispering?" he asked.

"Because not everyone knows yet, and for the moment, I'd like it to stay that way," Maxie whispered back.

For a brief moment, he chuckled inwardly. "Maxie, half the people here are doctors at GH and already know."

She shook her head indignantly. "Well the other half—including Mac—don't know. So please don't tell anyone. Not yet…" she trailed off pleadingly.

Patrick sighed. "Fine. I won't say anything. But she's stable for now. And that's all that matters. Now, go, enjoy the party. Try not to think about reality. Because tomorrow comes soon enough," he replied, shooing her away. She smiled a thank you and walked across the dance floor toward her husband.

Patrick shook his head. It was definitely going to be an interesting night. First things first, he wanted to dance with both of his daughters. And as Mattie was the only daughter in sight, he might as well start with her.

XXXXXX

**So. Now it's your turn to click the little grey arrow and review. It's much appreciated. Thanks so much! Hope you enjoyed this installment and keep looking for more!**


	15. Belle of the Ball

"Can I have you attention please?" Spencer stood in the middle of the room and raised his hands to quiet everyone. The entire crowd stopped what they were doing and looked toward the disruption. Finally he had their attention. "I just want to thank everyone for attending our charity ball tonight. It means a great to deal to both myself and the belle of the ball herself, Miranda Montgomery."

He nodded as Miranda came to stand next to him. "Yes, I would like to thank you as well, from both myself and the Miranda Montgomery Foundation. As many of you know, the foundation is one that is close to my heart because it was my mother who came up with the idea more than thirty years ago. And today, we've helped over a million women in their time of need. Please, eat, drink, and enjoy the night!"

Just as it had ended, the conversation went back to buzzing again. Miranda took a deep breath and turned to Spencer. "So. It's a success." She grinned and pulled him toward the dance floor. "Come on, you owe me a dance."

Spencer laughed. "How can I deny you anything?" He pulled her into his arms as they swayed with the music. She closed her eyes and let herself move with him. He grinned and dropped a kiss on her lips. "We did well. The Miranda Montgomery Center just got a great deal richer."

XXXXXX

"Well, if it isn't two of my favorite people in Port Charles," said a sly voice from behind them.

Both Sarah and Molly turned around to see their father coming toward them. And both women frowned with disdain.

"Oh buzz off, _dad,_" Molly muttered. She eyed Sarah and knew that neither of them wanted to get into this tonight. It was supposed to be a night of fun.

"Molly!" Ric exclaimed, as if surprised at her attitude.

Sarah raised her eyebrows. "Don't sound so shocked. It's not becoming."

"Sarah, Molly…I just came by to ask the two of you to allow me a dance," Ric admonished. He never understood their hostility toward him, but what he did understand, he blamed on their mothers.

He and Alexis had been hot once upon a time, but had sizzled out fast. And with Claudia, there was the sex factor, but she didn't do relationships. So that had been out as well. Then Claudia had discovered that she was pregnant. It wasn't something that either of them had planned. Ric couldn't have been more excited. He'd wanted to be in this baby's life, but Claudia fought him all the way. In the end, she'd mostly won. And now, Sarah held him in little favor.

"Leave the girls alone," Claudia purred, siding up next to him. She wore a black strapless gown that was cinched at the waist and flowed close to her body toward the floor. She put a hand on Sarah's shoulder and smiled at Molly. "I love the dress, Moll. It is Maxie's?"

Molly smiled briefly before turning her attention back to her father. "Why don't you go and bother someone else, dad." She took Sarah's arm and led her away.

Ric watched the two of them walk away and looked back at Claudia, bewildered. She rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you are so surprised. You weren't much of a father to them when they were kids. So you can't expect them to come running back to you now that they're adults." She shook her head and walked away.

Ric shook his head. It shouldn't matter what kind of father he was then. Now, he was making an effort and the least they could do was reciprocate.

XXXXXX

Molly was seated in a chair in the sitting room. She held her cell phone in her hand and waited for the return text. Matthew had just texted her to let her know that he was on his way. The launch was backed up with such a large number of guests and he had had to wait for the second trip to get over to Spoon Island.

She glanced up at the clock. It always seemed that she was waiting for him. They'd been dating for almost seven years, but it seemed as though she'd hardly spent any time together.

"Mr. Wonderful isn't here yet?" Spencer commented as he made his way over to her.

Molly glanced up and frowned. "Don't start Spence. Not here, not today," she warned.

Spencer held his hand in defense. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry, Molly. It's just—it seems that you're always waiting for him."

"He'll be here. He's late because of _your _launch," Molly snapped. Usually Spencer's good-natured ribbing didn't bother her this much, but even she was beginning to be annoyed by Matthew's penchant for delay.

"Listen Moll, I'm sorry. I'm sure that he will be here in a few minutes. If you want, I'll call the launch to see what the holdup is."

Molly sighed. She just couldn't be angry at her cousin. It was physically impossible. He was just too accommodating. She stood up and hooked an arm around his shoulders. "Come on. While I'm waiting, I might as well dance. And as my date isn't here, do you think Miranda would mind if I borrowed you for a while?"

"No, I think that she'd be okay with it. But only for a little while," Spencer led her out onto the dance floor. They wove through the other couples and found an empty spot. Spencer pulled her into his arms and moved to the music.

Molly laughed. "I knew all those dancing lessons would pay off someday."

Spencer grimaced. "Well, I didn't understand why I had to take them when the other kids were playing football."

"Oh you. You're a prince. Of course you would have to learn how to dance." She looked over and saw Miranda walking toward them. Next to her was Matthew. "Oh look who finally made it." She broke away and turned towards them.

Matthew shook hands with Spencer. "Thanks for inviting me to the party."

"No problem, I hope that you enjoy it," Spencer replied, his ingrained manners forcing him to be polite despite his feelings about the man.

"Yes, well, it's a very good cause—one that Buchanan Enterprises supports with much funding," Matthew said, leaning over to kiss Molly's lips. "Hi beautiful," he whispered.

Miranda reached for Spencer's arm. "And that is our cue to take our leave. Come one Spence, we'd better see that dinner will be served at the right time." They both waved and glided back across the room.

Molly's lips curved as she pulled him closer. "There's no need for public pecks."

"Yes, well. Your family doesn't think too highly of me and I wouldn't want to make them angrier at me by ravishing their little girl," Matthew replied cautiously.

Molly laughed aloud. "That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. Don't worry, Matthew. My mom is very progressive and my dad couldn't give a damn." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back onto the dance floor. "So it's—" she gave him a long, slow kiss—"really okay."

"Okay." He shrugged, pulling her into him. "But I have a feeling that the after party will be a whole lot better."

Molly chuckled. "Oh yeah, it will be. But for now, just keep on dreaming."

Matthew grinned. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"No, not in the last five minutes or so. But I wouldn't mind hearing it again."

"Okay. You are beautiful."

"Words to my ears."

XXXXXX

Kate walked in the ballroom and surveyed the crowd. When she saw what…or rather who, she was looking for, she walked across the room in pursuit.

"Maxie Jones-Scorpio, an explanation would be nice!"

Maxie looked up from the glass of wine that she'd been studying for the last five minutes and smiled. Her mind was back at the hospital with her sister and she couldn't wait for this night to be over so she could get to her. When she saw the body attached to the voice, her smile fell. "Hi Kate," she replied softly.

Kate immediately looked concerned. "Maxie, is everything all right?"

"Yes—it's fine," Maxie said quickly—too quickly.

Kate shook her head. "No. something is clearly off. Is it Spinelli or your uncle?"

"No, no. Everyone's fine. It's a little emergency, but it's not something that I'd like to discuss here. Please Kate. I'll tell you everything on Monday when I get to work, but I can't talk about it here. Not with the multitude of big ears in this room. It's too important," Maxie asked, desperately. She was practically begging.

"Okay, okay. I'll live with it. I just wanted to make sure that you are okay." Kate smiled and turned. She walked back across the room when she saw Jax standing near the bar. She wanted a dance from her second favorite man.

XXXXXX

Mattie laughed as she and Morgan walked off the dance floor breathless. They had been dancing from almost the moment they'd arrived and now she was in desperate need of a drink. Morgan walked up to the bar and ordered two glasses of champagne.

When they'd received their glasses, Morgan led her to the edge of the room and into the sitting room that was just beyond the ballroom. They walked over to a small settee in the corner and took refuge.

"Oh, my feet are killing me in these shoes. I knew that I shouldn't have let Maxie talk me into stilettos like these. I would have gone with a nice two inch heel or so, but Maxie claimed that such shoes were for grandmothers," Mattie said slipping her feet of her shoes and rubbing them.

Morgan grinned mischievously. "In that dress with those shoes, no one can mistake you for someone's grandmother." He leaned over and dropped a kiss on her nose. "I know that I definitely don't."

Mattie shoved him away playfully. "Oh you. Not here. Do you know how many people are here? Not to mention my dad and Uncle Mac. I can only imagine what kind of heart attack they'd have if they walked in here right now." But she grinned despite her reprimand.

"Well, maybe we'll have to sneak away and neck in the shadows later," Morgan replied suggestively.

Mattie gave a saucy smile. "Maybe we will." She slipped her shoe back on and got to her feet, pulling him with her. "But right now, I want to dance some more." She led in out of the room and back towards the noise of the ball. "Did I ever tell you that I love to dance?"

"No, I don't think you mentioned that," Morgan replied dryly, pulling her into his arms and swaying in sync to the music.

"Well, I do. When I was a little girl, I used to dance on my father's feet. He'd twirl me around and we'd have so much fun."

"That's a nice memory," Morgan replied softly. Mattie smiled and tucked her head on his shoulder. _She was the perfect size_, he thought. It was as if they were made for each other. Touching the small square box in his pocket and thinking of the pretty stone inside it, he hoped that she felt the same way.

XXXXXX

"Well, it is okay to be fashionably late," Lila commented as she and Cameron walked into the ball room. It was already alive with light and music. Together they walked across the room towards the bar.

Cameron ordered a soda for himself and a glass of wine for Lila. He was planning to stay sober tonight because he knew that no alcohol was necessary for the 'after-party' that he hoped Lila was up for. She was dressed to the nines in a light blue gown that was gathered in several places by a silver button. It was strapless and accented her fiery red hair, which was half pulled up and the rest curled down her back. He hoped that the evening would end with him pulling the dress off her slowly to reveal what was underneath.

Lila's voice pulled him out of his musings. "What's the matter, big guy? Tux too small?" Lila laughed as she took a sip of her wine. As every other woman did, she knew exactly what she did to a man. This knowledge only made her try harder. She knew exactly how Cameron wanted to end this night and had planned the whole thing herself. Not that she was going to tell that to him. It was always better if the man thought that it was his idea.

Cameron grimaced and gulped his soda. He looked up with relief when he saw his brother and Sarah walking towards them. He lifted a hand in a wave.

"Hi guys," Sarah said, kissing Lila on the cheek. "Great dress. Maxie's?"

Lila nodded. "Yes, but I got it off the rack the boutique. It was on sale too."

Sarah smiled. "That's the perfect way to get a dress that you will most likely only wear once."

"I know, isn't it?" Lila smoothed the satin material down. "I like yours too."

"Oh thanks. I actually got this one out of my sister's closet. She's such a clotheshorse that she has all these great clothes and usually only wears them once," Sarah replied.

Jake took a hold of Sarah's arm. "We'd better to the dining room if we are going to find our seats."

"Oh yes," She said, turning to look at Lila and Cameron. "Are you guys coming?"

They both nodded and began to walk through the throngs of people to the grand dining room that had been set up similar to The Metrocourt. They told the waiter their name and were led to a table that, ironically, seated Lila, Cameron, Jake, Sarah, Mattie and Morgan.

XXXXXX

Within minutes everyone was seated and the first course on the table. To save on time and confusion, Spencer had included in the invitations, a card that gave the dinner choices. Guests made their decision and sent the card back with their RSVP slip. It made for an easy time combined with seating arrangements.

Elizabeth Morgan picked up her napkin and placed it on her lap. She was deathly afraid that she'd ruin the beautiful dress that Maxie Jones had made especially for her.

"Your dress is going to be fine," Nadine commented, watching her 'sister-in-law'. Even though they weren't really related through marriage—as Elizabeth wasn't married to Lucky any longer—they'd always considered each other as such.

"I know. But I'm not used to dressing up all fancy so when I do, I'm always afraid that I'm going to ruin it."

"You know, I felt exactly like that not so long ago, but now look at me," Nadine replied, lifting her arms up in emphasis.

"But you are married to Nikolas Cassadine. You are a princess," Elizabeth pointed out.

Nadine shuddered. "Oh please, don't point that out. I think the whole Russian slash Greek royalty thing it ridiculous."

"Well, it's true." Elizabeth smiled and looked up as her salad was placed in front of her. She and Nadine resumed their easy conversation as they began to eat.

XXXXXX

Maxie jumped slightly as she felt her clutch purse vibrate slightly. She bent down to retrieve the silver bag and pulled out her cell phone. Reading the screen, she looked up suddenly at Spinelli, who wore a concerned look on his face.

"What is it?" he put his hand on her arm.

"It's the hospital." she pushed back her chair, rose and raced from the room. Spinelli followed her close behind.

She raced out of the dining room, past several confused diners, and into the sitting room. Opening her phone, she took a deep breath. "Hello?"

_"Ms Jones-Scorpio?"_

"Yes, this is she," Maxie was almost breathless. But she gripped her free hand around Spinelli's like a vise.

_"Ms. Jones, this is Nurse Hale from General Hospital. I'm your sister's primary nurse."_

"Yes, is she okay? Did something happen?" Maxie was practically hyperventilating now.

_"Physically, your sister is fine. But there is good news: she's woken up. You left explicit instructions to call you if anything changed—" she started, but was cut off._

"She's awake? Is she okay? I mean—has a doctor checked her out yet?" Maxie blurted out.

_"Ms. Jones, she's awake and very confused. I suggest that you come as soon as possible. Because Dr. Drake isn't on call tonight, her case was given to another doctor. She's being examined as we speak. But she's still very confused," the nurse replied. _

"Oh-ok, I'll be right there. Thank you. I'll be there as soon as possible," Maxie finished and slapped the phone to a close. She looked up, wide-eyed, at Spinelli. "She's awake."

Spinelli hugged her. "That's great. We should be there." Together, they walked back to the dining room.

"I have to find Patrick. He should know, if he doesn't know already," Maxie said, hurrying over to the table where he was seated. "Patrick!"

Patrick looked up in surprise. "Maxie? What's wrong?"

Maxie was breathless, so Spinelli translated. "The hospital called."

Patrick frowned. "Is she awake?"

Maxie nodded. "We're going to go over there now. Are you coming?"

"Uh, sure. But Dr. Mire's a great doctor. She'll be in good hands," Patrick wiped his mouth and stood up. "You guys go ahead. I'll find Mattie and let her know and then I'll be on the next launch."

"Okay, thanks," Maxie replied, reaching for Spinelli's hand and leading him out of the room.

They walked to the coat check and after a moment, accepted their coats and were outside descending the stone steps. "Hurry Spinelli!" Within minutes, they were at the launch and loaded onto the boat.

Spinelli looked at his wife. "It's going to be okay, Maxie," he said, gripping her gloved hand.

Maxie turned to look at him. Her eyes were laden with tears. "It just occurred to me. I'm about to see the sister that has been supposedly 'dead' for twenty-nine years. I don't know what to say."

"You'll know when it comes down to it. And I'll be right beside you. I promise."

Maxie held on to Spinelli's hand as if it were her lifeline. She could only hope that Spinelli was right. She had so many questions for Georgie and she hoped that they would be answered. Maxie vowed to make every second count because life was too precious to lose.


	16. Thank God For Small Miracles

Maxie tapped her foot impatiently as she and Spinelli rode the elevator up to the fifth floor of GH. She was in a hurry and the elevator just wasn't going fast enough.

Spinelli laid a hand on her arm to still her. She looked up at him with a look of anticipation. "Oh Spinelli, why is it taking—" the bell dinged, the doors opened and Maxie breathed a sigh of relief. She rushed out of the metal box, dragging Spinelli with her.

"Hello, I'm Maxie Jones. I received a phone call saying that my sister Georgie Jones was awake."

The nurse looked up in surprise. She clearly wasn't used to getting visitors at this hour. "Oh, yes. Ms Jones is awake. You're just in time; her doctor is almost finished with the examination. When he's done, feel free to go in to the room. Normally we don't allow visitors at this hour, but Dr. Drake asked that an exception be made."

"Thank you," Maxie said as she hurried down the hallway. Spinelli followed her close behind. She stopped in front of her sister's room. Through the open blinds, she could see her sister sitting up and a doctor talking to her. Maxie bit her lip. For the first time since she'd discovered that Georgie was alive, she was now unsure of what to do. She was actually going to talk to the sister she'd believed to be dead.

Dr. Elena Mire walked out of the room and stopped when she saw Maxie. "Hello Ms. Jones. This is it. You finally get to talk to her. She's confused, so you will have to explain what happened. But please do it gently. Your sister's condition is still fragile, so we need to be gentle. And I can't let you stay for than an hour at most. Georgie needs rest."

Maxie nodded and turned to face Spinelli. She looked terrified. Spinelli laughed. "It's okay, Max. I'm right here. I'll stay out here for now. Go on inside," He shooed her toward the door and she stepped inside.

Georgie was lying on her side, with her back to Maxie. Maxie crept inside and shut the door. The noise made Georgie shift and she looked surprised when she saw her sister standing over her.

"Maxie?" She whispered. Her voice was raspy, which was a side effect of the breathing tube, Maxie knew.

"Hi s-sweetie," Maxie's voice broke.

"What are you doing here?"

Maxie smiled. "The question should be: what are _you_ doing here?"

"I was sad and I needed to see Port Charles, even if it was from a distance. I was at the cemetery. I saw my grave a-and R-Robin's," Georgie finished as if she'd run out of steam. She motioned to the water glass that was next to her and Maxie retrieved it. Georgie sipped and began again. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

Maxie frowned. "What to happen?"

"For you or anyone to see me. I'm supposed to be dead. According the state of New York, I am, but according to the WSB, I'm very much alive."

Maxie shook her head. "But how? I saw you. You were dead."

Georgie looked down. "I-I wasn't dead…not completely. The medical examiner who t-took me away, wasn't really an M.E."

"What do you mean?"

"He was a WSB agent. I w-was sort of handpicked. WSB was following Diego's case. They figured out who could be the target of his rage. And they watched Port Charles…and me," Georgie looked up at her sister. "I'm sorry for not telling you this then."

"No, no. Please continue." Maxie sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"I was alive. Just barely. I was losing consciousness, but I heard the agent say that they were going to inject me with a poison that would make me appear dead. That way, I would be dead to everything from WSB. I've been undercover for the agency for twenty-nine years," Georgie finished and reached for Maxie's hand. "I'm here now. We can decide what do to next. I want to know what I've missed in the last twenty-nine years. I already know that I missed Robin. I saw her grave at the cemetery. I want to all about that and you and Mac. But for now, I'd just like to sleep. I'm so tired." She closed her eyes, but didn't let go of Maxie's hand.

"O-okay, sweetie. Sleep now and I'll be here when you wake up," Maxie whispered, leaning over to drop a kiss on her sister's brow. She laid her head on the bed and closed her own eyes. Now that she knew that Georgie was out of the woods, she could finally sleep.

XXXXXX

With the elaborate dinner long over, guests had gravitated back towards the dance floor, trying to work off the rich food. Mattie stood in the doorway of the dining room and scanned the room for her father. She was surprised to not see him and even more surprised when she didn't see her aunt or Spinelli either.

Then she saw Patrick walking out to the balcony. She skirted the crowd and followed him. "Dad!"

He turned around and followed her voice. With a wave, he waited until she made her way over to where he stood. "Hi Mattie."

"Where'd you go? Where's Aunt Maxie? I haven't seen her or Spinelli," Mattie asked.

Patrick smiled. "The hospital called. Georgie regained consciousness."

Mattie's eyes lit up. "Really? Has she been checked out?"

"Yes, Dr. Mire is on call so I'm sure that she's been examined. Maxie and Spinelli left as soon as they called. I'm sure that Maxie is already talking to Georgie."

Mattie smiled. "What a reunion that must be. I can't imagine how it would be to see the sister that you thought had been dead for almost thirty years."

"I know," Patrick agreed. Then he sighed. "I wish your mom was here for this."

"Mom would be so happy to see her."

Patrick nodded, thinking of the night of Georgie's funeral all those years ago. It had been the night that Mattie had been conceived. From that point on, they had both known that they were right for each other. But he shook his head. "There's no use trying to understand the party. Tonight's a party and Georgie's back with us. Now we just have to figure out a way to tell Mac and everyone else in Port Charles."

"That's going to be interesting," Mattie said, brightening when she saw Morgan walking toward them.

"I wondered where you'd gotten to," he said, dropping a kiss on her nose.

"Well, I was getting ready to ask my father for a dance. Maybe you'd like to find your sister and dance with her for a moment. I promise I'll always come back to you," Mattie grinned slyly and reached for Patrick's hand. He led her out to the middle of the dance floor.

"He's in love with you."

Mattie smiled sweetly and he saw that little girl he'd once known peek out. Her eyes were dreamy. "I know…and I'm in love with him too. So it works out."

Patrick didn't bother to look surprise, which made Mattie laugh. "That doesn't surprise you, does it?"

He shook his head. "No, I always knew that you loved him. Even when you were a little girl. Your mom saw it too."

"Now that I'm in love with someone and I'm experiencing all these feelings, I wish she were here. I think that we'd talk about it," Mattie said, her voice breaking.

"Hey, hey. I didn't mean to make you cry," Patrick said gently, brushing the tears from her cheek.

She shook her head, not trusting her voice. Putting her arms around him, she whispered in his ear, "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, baby girl," he said, pulling her close.

As they swayed slightly with the music, she allowed her mind to wander to a bright spring day nine and a half years earlier.

*_Flashback*_

_The sun was shining as they walked through the park. They were dressed nearly the same; both in jeans and tee-shirts. Their hair, identical sable brown, hung down their shoulders. _

_Robin stopped by the gazebo and stared. It still brought back memories of Georgie. Although despite that horrible tragedy, something wonderful had come about. She ran a hand down her daughter's hair. Mattie had been a light born from darkness. _

_"Mom, are you okay?" Mattie asked, concerned. Everyone worried about Robin these days. It was clear that she was becoming weaker. It was only a matter of time. She had cheated death so many times, but now there was nothing that anyone could do. _

_Robin nodded. "Yes." Then she took her daughter's hand and led her around the corner to a small clearing. From where they stood, they could see Queen of Angels. "I used to dream that when you get older and meet the man of your dreams, that you'd get married here—in this clearing."_

_"Oh mom," Mattie began, but Robin cut her off. _

_"Stop." She looked frustrated. "Why does everyone walk on eggshells around me? I know that is happening to me. But that doesn't mean that I can't think about the future. It's inevitable, you know. I know that even after I'm gone, life will go on. You will go to school and graduate from college. Maybe you'll be a doctor or a lawyer or whatever. But life will go on. I want you to get married here. I want to be able to talk about the future. So please, don't try to ignore it." She turned and looked at Mattie whose face was remorseful. _

_"I'm sorry, Mom."_

_"No, I shouldn't have lashed out like that. I'm sorry, sweet girl," Robin apologized, hugging Mattie close. Mattie breathed in her scent, her perfume, the hospital. Everything that would forever remind her on her mother. _

_Mattie shook her head. "Mom, it's hard to think about the future when you are here fighting this disease."_

_"I know, honey. But you have to move on. The future is a wonderful thing to think about when the present isn't so great. Things will be better in the future." Robin stood up and motioned to Mattie. "See, you need to think about the future. Tell me what you want to be doing in five years."_

_Mattie looked skeptical. But Robin pressed on. "Tell me, I want to know. I want to know so when I'm looking down from Heaven, I'll know what to look for."_

_Mattie sighed. "Okay, well, I want to be a doctor. So I'll still be in med school. But I want to get married someday. Maybe to Morgan."_

_Robin smiled. "Ah, so that's the way the wind blows. I thought so. You've been in love with that boy ever since you were a little girl. I could see it. At the time, I thought that it was ironic, considering Carly's and my past."_

_Mattie shrugged. "I do love him, but he needs the chance to get used to it. And I doubt that Carly will ever wrap her mind around it."_

_"You're right there."_

_"Mom, how can we talk about what will happen after…" Mattie asked, tears falling down her face._

_Robin smiled. "We can because it's inevitable. The future will happen and we have the right to dream._

_Mattie nodded, unable to stop the tears that fell. Robin hugged her and they stood together, on that bright sunny spring day, thinking about the future. _

_*End Flashback*_

"Mattie?" Patrick looked at her quizzically.

She lifted her face and looked at her father. "I'm sorry, please. I'm so sorry. I need to go." She pulled away and, lifting the hem of her dress, hurried away from the crowd.

Mattie raced out of the ballroom to the lighted veranda. When she reached the cement wall, she fell to the bench and buried her face in her hands. With the sound of her tears filling her ears, she didn't here footsteps coming toward her.

"Mattie?" Morgan looked down at her worriedly. He had been dancing with Amelia when he had seen her hurry out of the room. And he'd heard the sound of her tears. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he felt her jump in surprise.

Morgan knelt down to face the sobbing woman. "Mattie, it's me…Morgan. What's wrong?"

Mattie lifted her face and stared at him through tearstained eyes. "I don't know. One minute I was dancing with my dad and the next, I had this memory of my mom. But it was so vivid…as if she were right next to me, telling me about it." She wiped her face. "Ugh, I look like a monster. All that time that I put into my face and now I look terrible."

Morgan laughed and stood up. He pulled Mattie to her feet and into his arms. "You are most certainly not a monster. You are beautiful."

"Thanks for that. I needed that, but I really do need to fix my face. Stay right here and I'll be back." With a peck to his cheek, she hurried off toward the restroom.

Sarah caught up with her as she passed the bar and they walked together toward the restroom. "Mattie, I saw you run outside. Are you okay?"

Mattie smiled. "I'm fine. It was nothing. I just need to fix my face." She walked up to the mirror and opened her clutch to retrieve her compact. Brushing the fine powder over her nose and cheeks, she eyed her friend in the mirror. "I noticed that you and Jake are getting pretty close."

Sarah balked. "What? No. You know us, it's off and then it's on. He can't get his act together."

"_He_ can't? Or you can't decide?" Mattie reapplied her lipstick and studied her reflection. There. Perfect.

"Hey! I can decide. But I'm not ready to commit and he is. He doesn't seem to care either because he doesn't try to work at the relationship any better than me!" Sarah protested. She glared at Mattie in the mirror.

"You need to make a decision. That's all I'm going to say about it," Mattie shrugged and picked up her clutch. She walked out of the room and back towards the noise of the party.

Sarah tagged along. "Wait!" She walked alongside her friend. "What do you mean?"

Mattie stopped and looked at Sarah. "I mean that you have to decide whether or not you want to be with Jacob Spencer. Because if you don't want to be with him, then you can't keep stringing him along. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my guy." With a wave, she walked back outside to where Morgan was waiting.

Morgan was standing with his hand on the wall, looking out over the harbor. She could see the Metrocourt and further off in the distance, the hospital. Creeping up behind him, she put her arms around his waist.

"Hey." He turned around to face her and kissed her. "Are you okay?"

She smiled into his chest. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Hey, do you want to take a walk?"

Mattie nodded. "That would be nice." She pulled back and Morgan grabbed her hand. Together they descended the steps and walked down the pathway that led around the house.

"It's truly beautiful here, isn't it?" Mattie asked, turning to look up at him.

"Yeah, it always reminded me of The Secret Garden, you know all the verandas and pretty gardens and pathways," Morgan kissed her hand and she grinned.

"I always that that it was like a fairy tale and you were my prince charming," Mattie replied.

They turned the corner and walked toward the stables. Morgan stopped suddenly and Mattie looked at him quizzically. "What? What's wrong?"

He looked uncomfortable and for a brief moment, Mattie thought that something was seriously wrong. "No, no, nothing's wrong. I-I just wanted to say something. Here, away from the noise."

She cocked her head, confused. "O-okay…"

He knelt on the cold ground, which caused her to gasp. "Mattie, you are the most amazing, beautiful woman I have ever met. I love you so much and I can't see living without you. I have been in love with you since I first saw you even when you were only a teenager. Please, be my wife…" He took a deep breath and reached in the pocket of his pants, drawing out a small box. "Matilda Drake, will you marry me?"

Mattie brought her hands to her mouth in surprise. She smiled and felt her eyes tearing up. "Oh Morgan…I love you so much. You don't know how long I've waited for those words. So…yes. Yes, I will marry you and be your wife." She held her breath as he slipped the ring on her finger. It was a silver band with a tiny diamond in the center. The diamond was surrounded by a small circle of bright red stones.

Morgan got to his feet and Mattie let out a shriek. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "Oh, I love you so, so much!"

Morgan smiled. He pulled back and looked her in the eye. "I love you, and I promise you that I will stand by the vows we will take for the rest of my life."

"Come on, we have to go tell everyone. Oh, I can't wait to see my dad's face. And Mackenzie's," Mattie said, pulling him along the path as they made their way back towards the house. As they did, screams rang out through the air.

**Okay, okay. I know that the proposal was corny, but I think that it suited their characters. Also, no one is going to be murdered or anything. So the screams might be slightly exaggerated. But I hope that you will review…I love to hear from my readers. Enjoy!**


	17. Moral Duty Despite the Man

**Okay, I lied a little bit. Someone **_**may **_**die in connection with the screams. I wanted to make sure that I deliver with all the hype I gave the party. So, please don't be too disappointed if it isn't what you expected. Enjoy!**

Bree opened her eyes to bright light streaming in through the window. She smiled and stretched. It felt wonderful to be home at Llanfair, in her familiar room, surrounded by family. She pushed back the covers and glanced at the clock on the small table beside the bed. It read 7:00.

She sighed and sat up. Her crazy work schedule had allowed to her adjust to surviving on only a few hours of sleep and she had grown accustomed to waking early. And of course, vacation was no different. She slipped her feet in the slippers that waited on the floor next to the big bed and stood up.

Prowling around the room for her suitcase, she pulled a pair of sweats out and her shampoo. She crept to the door, opened it, and slipped out to the bathroom at the end of the hall. As she passed her sister's and mom's room, she could see that everyone was still asleep.

Closeting herself in the bathroom, she turned on the water and let it blast until the temperature had rose to a steamy tropical heat. Undressing quickly against the cold air, she stepped in and let the water wash over her in rivets. It felt so good to be able to spend more than five minutes in the shower. Applying a bit of shampoo to her hands, she worked it into her blond hair. She soaped up her skin and waited until all the shampoo had washed out.

Turning off the water, she pulled back the curtain and reached for a towel. She wrapped it around her body and carefully stepped out. Drying quickly against the cool air, she pulled on the clothes, she brought into the bathroom. She wrapped her hair in the towel and hurried back to her room. Once she was closed inside, she reached for a brush and tugged it through her hair.

Bree looked at herself critically in the vanity mirror. She was really beautiful. If she was lucky, she could pull off cute, but there were definitely no striking features in her. She rubbed moisturizer into her face and studied the sharp features she'd been blessed with from the father she didn't remember. Although she was blond like Jessica, her face came to a point at her chin and her nose was particularly pronounced.

So she wasn't pretty, but a WSB agent didn't need to be pretty to be a good agent. She'd have to live with that knowledge and try to ignore the fact that she was something of a giant in a family of fairies. Even her grandmother and Aunt Natalie could be called beautiful for heaven's sake.

Bree sighed and finished with her light application of makeup. She hated putting paint on her face, but was just vain enough to realize that she needed it to soften her pronounced features. She pulled her long blond hair back into a braid and tied it with a hair band. Slipping out of the sweats, she unearthed a pair of jeans and running shoes. Finishing the ensemble with an ancient LU hoodie, she nodded in approval. For someone who was supposed to be on vacation, she was putting on a good front.

Bree turned off the bedroom light and quickly folded the covers on the bed back into place. She then opened the door and stepped out. Walking down the hallway toward the stairs, she descended them quietly, well aware of the squeaky step and her sleeping family upstairs. She planned to start a pot of coffee and have it ready when the rest of her family awoke.

That being said, Bree was thoroughly surprised to walk into the kitchen and find her mother sitting at the table. So as not to frighten Jessica, Bree walked quietly up to her. "Mom?"

Jessica jumped and turned around. She put her hand to her heart, as if to stop its wild beating. "Bree, you scared me. I didn't think that you'd be up this early."

Bree shrugged and went to the cupboard to get a mug. She poured the fragrant liquid into the cup and took a seat across from her mother. "It's habit. Not that I want to, but working with the WSB had made me grow accustomed to waking early and quickly."

"Still, I thought that because you were on vacation…"

Bree shook her head. "My body doesn't realize that it is on vacation. I have this internal alarm clock."

Jess laughed. "Oh Bree, I'm so glad that you are home. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too…and grandma and Julia."

"Oh, I don't think Julia's here. I saw her last week and she said that she was going to Port Charles to visit her friend from college," Jess replied.

"Oh, well that's okay. I still get to see everyone else," Bree said, getting up and walking to the window. She looked out over the grounds. "God, I've missed this view." She turned back to her mother. "I've seen some of the most wonderful vistas in the world. But none of them compares to Llanview and Llanfair."

Jessica smiled and nodded. "Like I said, I'm so happy that you are here for an extended visit."

"There are a lot of people I want to see while I'm here. But like I told grandma, I might be going to Port Charles for a little while. A friend and colleague were injured in a car accident and last I heard, she was out of surgery and in a coma," Bree replied, sitting back down.

Jessica nodded. "Well, if you go there, you'll probably see Julia." Then she brightened. "So, what do you want to do first?"

Bree laughed. "You don't have to stop everything and spend time with me, you know."

Jessica looked shocked. "Why of course I do. You're my only daughter and I hardly ever get to see you since you joined the WSB."

"Well, in that case. I want to see Aunt Natalie and Uncle Jared, for one. Then maybe lunch at the diner. And then, you can choose. But I do not want new clothes or a facial," she warned and shook her head at Jess's innocent look.

Jess stood up and dumped her cup in the sink. "Okay, no facials. But you look like you could—okay" she amended, meeting Bree's glare. "Let's go get donuts and surprise Nat and Jared." She hurried out of the room with Bree close at her heels. Bree shook her head. It was going to be an interesting day.

**XXXXXXX**

Morgan shoved the ring box in his pocket as Mattie secured the ring on her finger. He grabbed her hand and together they rushed back over the footpath toward the house. As they grew closer, they could hear the din of frantic voices.

Moments later they were entering the house and the ballroom to find the dance floor empty except for the large circle of people staring in the center of the room. Mattie hurried closer and pushed her way through to see what everyone was looking at.

"What happened?" She turned to Mackenzie.

Mackenzie shrugged. "I don't know. I was dancing with Spencer and suddenly there was a gasp. I turned around and saw Ric Lansing on the ground. No one knew what to do."

Mattie stared at her sister. "Well, why isn't anyone helping him? He's choking!" she rushed over to him and knelt on the ground. "Ric? Can you hear me? It's Mattie Drake…Dr. Mattie Drake. I'm going to help you," she said loudly, while everyone else looked on.

She turned around and stared at the crowd of people. "What are you doing? Why isn't anyone helping him?" She looked wildly around. "Spence, call the launch. We need to get him to GH as soon as possible. Molly, call an ambulance, have them meet us at the launch. I need some strong men to carry him to the launch. Nikolas? Dad? Cameron?"

When no one moved, she raised her voice. "What are you waiting for?"

Sarah seemed to find her voice first. "He's not worth the effort." She turned away and stalked out of the room. Jake followed behind her.

Mattie looked down at Ric, who was holding a hand to his throat and gasping for breath. It was her moral duty as a doctor to save him, but she couldn't do it herself. "Someone help me. I can't save him by myself!"

Lila spoke up. "If no one else will, I will. Mattie, I'm calling 911 right now." She pulled her cell phone out of her clutch and dialed the number. "Yes, yes. This is Lila Alcazar. I'm at Wyndemere on Spoon Island. We have a man who is having respiratory problems. We have several doctors here, but he will be on the next launch to the mainland. Yes, yes, yes. An ambulance waiting by the launch. Okay, okay, thanks." She snapped her phone shut and nodded at Mattie.

Claudia Zacchara pushed her way through the crowd. She poked Ric with her heeled foot. "You are a worthless bastard and God only knows why I ever thought that I loved you, but I can't just _let_ you die. Not without suffering first." She looked down at Mattie. "I'll help you get him to the launch."

Mattie shook her head. "I can't move him. He's not stable. I-I need to help him breath. He's gasping for breath as it is." She looked down at the patient. Ric was turning blue and Mattie knew that if she didn't do something, he would die. Taking a chance, she looked up at Spencer. "I need to do a tracheotomy. Now. It will help his breathing. I need you to find me a very sharp knife, a first aid kit, some sort of alcohol, and small tube like a pen or a straw. Can you get those things for me?"

Spencer nodded and hurried off. Mattie then turned her father. "Dad, can you help me? I need you to hold him down."

Patrick started forward, but Kristina reached her first. She bent down close to Mattie. "Have you ever attempted this outside the operating room?" She whispered.

Mattie looked down at Ric, saw him struggling for every breath and growing weaker by the moment, and looked back up at Kristina. She shook her head. "No, but how different can it be? I might not have the proper instruments, but how hard can it be? And I have to do something. He's going to die!"

Kristina straightened and shrugged. "Well, there are a lot of people who wouldn't give a damn if he did." She turned and walked out of the room. Mattie sighed, it was clear that Kristina was one of those people.

Spence broke through the crowd with the items that Mattie had asked for. She nodded her thanks and turned back to her patient as Patrick knelt down. Spence stepped up and between him and Patrick; they held Ric down as Mattie studied the area of his neck. She recalled the last time she'd done this in the operating room, which by her perception had been in medical school. Gynecology didn't usually call for such a surgery. Shaking her head, she focused back on the task at hand.

Mattie used the alcohol to sanitize both the knife and Ric's neck. Taking a deep breath, she held her hand steady and made a small incision. Inserting the straw in the incision, she waited to see if it worked. Letting out the breath, she looked up at her father as Ric began breathing easier and his color began to return.

Patrick nodded as Spencer's phone rang. He answered it and nodded. Closing it, he looked at Mattie, "the launch is waiting and there's an ambulance waiting on the other side."

Mattie nodded as Spencer, Patrick and Nikolas carefully lifted the motionless man and carried him out of the ballroom and the house. They walked down the steps toward the launch.

Mattie breathed a sigh of relief and got creakily to her feet, only to stumble back down. As she did, Morgan hurried forward and caught her as she fell back. Once she was on her feet, Mattie smiled at him in thanks, but broke away. The crowd parted and Mattie hurried outside to the veranda. Morgan stared after her in surprise. As if nothing had happened, the remainder of the partygoers resumed their dancing and drinking.

**XXXXXX**

Mattie looked out at the launch. If she looked close enough, she swore that she could see the men loading Ric Lansing into the boat. Even if he died, she would know that she had at least tried to save him. That was something that she could comfort herself with.

"Mattie?" a hand touched her shoulder and she turned around to see Morgan standing there.

She hugged herself against the chill. "Morgan, I'm sorry."

"No, no. What you did back there, it was remarkable. Not many people would have helped a man like Ric Lansing," Morgan replied.

Mattie scoffed. "Obviously. No one else stepped up to help the man. I don't care what he has done to anyone over the years, but I'm a doctor—and so are Kristina and several others in that room, for that matter. I can't just _let _a person die."

"You did well. You have to keep that in mind, no matter what happens next," Morgan said, pulling her into his arms. She sighed and turned closer. "I'm exhausted now. That was nerve-wracking. I've never performed a field surgery before."

Morgan laughed. "You were a pro. Don't beat yourself up. There are many people here tonight who couldn't give a damn about Ric Lansing, beginning with his daughters. If he ends up dying, he'd be doing a lot of people some good."

Mattie turned around. "I can't look at it like that. I-I mean, I'm a doctor, I have an oath to heal." She looked back at the water.

"I know."

Mattie shrugged. "I'm not thinking about that now. I believe that you were speaking to me about a very important matter. Before we were interrupted…"

Morgan grinned. "I believe that we were finished. You already said yes, there's no backing out."

"Oh really," Mattie replied slyly and looked down at her hand, where the ring glinted.

"Yes, really. We are getting married," Morgan took her hand and led her back into the party.

"We are and I've never been so excited to tell everyone…" Mattie followed him in to their friends. They definitely had good news to tell everyone.


	18. Good News Despite Attempted Murder

Mattie and Morgan walked into the ballroom to see that no one was dancing. The entire crowd of people was seated and Lucky Spencer was standing in the middle of the floor, giving orders.

"I just received word that Ric Lansing is at the hospital in critical condition. It appears that he was poisoned. The lab is testing the poison now. In the mean time, no one will be leaving his room. It would appear that because Ric was in relatively good health when he walked in here, he was poisoned sometime after that. And if that is the case, someone in this room did it to him. If you will please remain calm, the police will talk with you individually."

Mattie looked at Morgan, who nodded. She smiled. "Go, I'll be fine. Do your job. The sooner we can get this over with the better." Morgan kissed her before heading off to join Lucky and Cameron. Mattie walked over to where Molly and Miranda were seated.

"Why the hell did you try to save him?" Molly grumbled as Mattie sat in an adjacent chair.

"I'm a doctor. Saving people is what I do."

"But Ric Lansing? Why waste your time?" Molly questioned future as Miranda put her hand over Molly's.

"I may be a little out of the loop, but why are you so negative? I mean, he is your father," She asked Molly, who turned and glared at her.

"Ric Lansing was never any father of mine. He's worthless. He spent too much wanting to prove himself to Trevor and Anthony and not nearly enough time being a father," Molly scoffed. "And he was even worse when Sarah came along."

Mattie looked up as two detectives walked into the ballroom. They walked over to Lucky and after a few moments, fanned out to begin the interviewing. One of them, a woman, walked up to the table that Mattie, Molly and Miranda inhabited.

"I'd like to ask you some questions regarding the crime that was committed here tonight. I'll start with you, Ms…" she looked at Molly, who pursued her lips.

"I'm Molly Lansing."

To her credit, the detective didn't flinch. "Are you related to—"

"I'm his daughter."

"Okay, so where were you when he collapsed?"

"I was dancing with my date, Matthew Buchanan. He can vouch for me. And other than him being a horrible father and an even worse man, I wouldn't poison him. It'd be too easy. I'd rather see him suffer first," Molly finished. She waited until the detective finished taking down her notes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom." She slipped passed the detective without waiting for answer.

The detective turned to Mattie next. "And you are…"

"I'm Dr. Mattie Drake. I'm the doctor who tried to save Ric Lansing's life," Mattie replied shortly. She wasn't in the mood for interrogation.

"Were you here in the room when he collapsed?"

Mattie shook her head. "No, I was with my boyfriend, Morgan Corinthos-Jax. We were outside. As we were coming back inside, we heard screams and I saw Ric lying on the floor with no one to help him."

"Okay, so why were you the first person to react?"

"Because everyone else couldn't care less about what happens to him. I'm sorry to say, but there are at least a dozen people in this room tonight that would rather have let him die," Mattie replied.

The detective frowned and looked up from her note pad. "But you aren't one of them." It wasn't really a question, but a statement.

"Ah, you're learning. No. Ric Lansing has never done anything to me that would constitute murder. I only helped him because I'm a doctor and I took a moral oath to do no harm. I simply couldn't stand there and watch him struggle to breath."

"But there are other doctors here tonight?"

Mattie sighed. "Yes, there are. But I think that everyone else was in shock."

The detective closed her notebook. "Thank you ladies. I will let you know if I need any more information. As far as I'm concerned, you are free to go." The detective walked away to interview another guest.

Miranda turned to Mattie. "I'm surprised that she didn't ask me any questions."

Mattie shrugged. "I'm not. If she knows anything, she'll go straight to the source—the mob. If you notice, Jason Morgan was absent tonight. And I heard from Molly that her step-father, Jerry Jax, was also absent. That puts up the red flag in my book."

Miranda nodded. "Well, maybe it's obvious that I wouldn't know Ric Lansing from Adam. I mean, I am from out of town." She shrugged, but brightened. "Now do you care to explain that gorgeous stone on your left hand?" She grabbed Mattie's hand and held it closer to get a good look. "Wow!"

Mattie sighed. In all the excitement, she'd forgotten about the ring and the proposal. "It is what it looks like."

Miranda let out a small scream. "Oh that's so wonderful! How romantic Morgan is, that he'd ask you at this castle on this night."

Mattie smiled. "Yeah, it was pretty great. We'd hoped that we could announce it to everyone, but then Ric collapsed and everything changed."

"Well, you can do it tomorrow. If you leave now, you might avoid the masses in order to get back to the mainland." Miranda reached over and hugged Mattie as they both stood up. "Congratulations."

Mattie waved and went to find Morgan. He was standing in the hallway holding their coats. "Hi."

She smiled. "Hi yourself."

"Ready to go home?"

Mattie frowned. "You don't have to stay here and help?" she accepted her coat and slipped it on.

Morgan shook his head. "No. because I wasn't even in the room when he was poisoned, anything I say doesn't really matter. Lucky said to go home."

Mattie brightened. "Great. Your place or mine?"

"How about yours? Or with Sarah there, it is more awkward?" Morgan asked, reaching for her hand and leading her down the steps toward the launch. She lifted the hem of her dress to keep it from dragging as she descended the stone steps.

Mattie laughed for the first time in more than an hour. "Like she'd care. She's been our number one fan from day one. I'm sure that she will jump for joy when she hears our news."

"I bet you can't wait for it."

"No. I can wait. What I can't wait for is you with me in my bed," she said, lifting her eyebrows suggestively. She accepted his hand in help for stepping into the boat and situated her dress around her legs while the launch took off toward Port Charles.

"Well, you will just have to wait. Just for a little while. And then I promise it will be better than you ever imagined." She only smiled and sat back to enjoy the ride.

**XXXXXX**

"Ms. Jones?"

Maxie jumped at the voice. She sat up suddenly and blinked in the sunlight that blinded her. Squinting, she could make out the slight form of a nurse.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to wake you so suddenly, but we need to take your sister for some tests. We just wanted to let you know so you weren't worried when you woke," the blond nurse said quietly. Maxie shook herself awake and looked over to see and orderly moving the bed.

Georgie smiled. "Hi," she whispered, giving a wave as she was wheeled away. Maxie lifted a hand in acknowledgement. The nurse patted her shoulder and followed Georgie's entourage.

"Maximista?" Spinelli appeared in the doorway.

"Spinelli!" Maxie breathed a sigh of relief and practically attacked him. She hugged him tightly for just a moment then pulled back. "Are the girls okay?"

"They're fine. I dropped them off at Patrick's. Mackenzie said that she'd keep them today."

"Oh you're an angel, Damien Spinelli." She kissed him soundly. She led him over to the chairs that sat next to Georgie's bed. Spinelli sat and handed her the coffee he'd brought with him.

"We missed the action last night," he said, taking a sip of his own coffee. Though he'd once sworn by orange soda, Maxie convinced him that it wasn't healthy to drink it all the time. The ironic thing about it, though, was that orange soda was the favorite drink of his youngest daughter Fiona.

Maxie frowned. "What do you mean?" she broke off a corner of the blueberry muffin and handed the remainder to him.

"Ric Lansing was supposedly poisoned last night. I heard that everyone was dancing and minding their own businesses and then he just collapsed. No one knew what to do—or they'd rather let him die, but our Mattie came to his rescue and did a field surgery right in the middle of the dance floor. He's here, at GH, right now. I heard that he was in critical condition," Spinelli replied, looking at his wife. "How you sleep?"

"I-I…amazingly well. But I could use a shower," Maxie said, running a hand through her blond hair. She could only imagine what it looked like.

"Why don't you go home? I'll stay here. Take a shower, eat a real breakfast, call the girls. I'll be here until you get back. And you need to seriously think about telling Mac. He deserves to know that Georgie's alive," Spinelli said, kissing her on the lips.

She nodded and stood up. "Okay, I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you Spinelli."

"I love you too, Maxie. Now go," he said, pushing her toward the door. She waved and hurried toward the exit. She planned to be back as soon as she was done. She had so much to tell Georgie and she didn't want to waste a moment.

**XXXXXX**

Seeing the hot redhead curled next to him in his bed was definitely not something that Cameron expected when he awoke that morning. He stretched carefully, so as not to wake Lila. Easing out of the bed, he pulled his pants on and walked out of the room toward the kitchen.

Cameron hummed to himself as he measured out the coffee and filled the machine with water. Punching the button to begin brewing, he opened the refrigerator and perused the contents. Not much by way of breakfast.

He couldn't believe what happened last night. After they'd been thoroughly questioned, of which he hadn't been able to participate in because he was considered a witness, they'd left with the throngs of people. By the time they'd rode the launch to Port Charles, it had been almost two in the morning.

Lila hadn't objected when he'd taken her to his house instead of her apartment. Nor had she said anything to him drawing her into his bedroom and slipping her gown off her body. And she hadn't protested when he'd taken her. In fact, she'd kept up with his rhythm.

Which was something that left his twisted inside.

Lila Alcazar was not the kind of woman to toy with. She was the woman who inspired commitment, though she'd never utter those words herself. Cameron shook his head. Lila was a mysterious woman and he wasn't sure if he was up to the job of figuring her out.

"Hey good-looking."

Cameron whirled around—and stubbed his toe on the table leg—to see Lila standing in the doorway. She wore his shirt and a smirk. Seeing her, his body reacted in a way that didn't seem appropriate to the situation.

Lila laughed and walked toward him as he examined his toe. "Oh, are you okay? I didn't mean to startle you." She came over and pulled his face close to hers. She laid her lips on his and deepened the kiss. He forgot his foot and pulled her close.

"Oh, I'm okay now. How about another round?" he whispered in her ear, which caused her to giggle. He led her back toward the bedroom, nipping at her ear. She smiled and kicked the door close with her foot.

Lila was a woman of mystery and if you asked her, she would tell you that it was going to stay that way.

**XXXXXX**

Mattie awoke suddenly. She sat up, unsure of what had woken her exactly. Blinking, she felt for Morgan, but the spot next to her on the bed was empty. She smiled, remembering how gentle and tender he'd been. It had been their first time together and being officially engaged had made it that much more special.

Mattie shifted, pushing the blankets back and putting her feet on the ground. She slipped her feet into the slippers and pulled on her robe. Tiptoeing out of the room, she listened for movement in the apartment. She wasn't sure of Sarah had ever made it home last night so perhaps Morgan was making coffee or something.

When she saw him standing in the middle of her minute kitchen wearing his tux, she smiled. "Hey," she said quietly, so as not to startle him.

He turned around at the sound of her voice. "Hey yourself. Did you sleep all right?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Sleep? What is that? I don't think either of us got much sleep last night. But I'm not complaining." She walked to him and wrapped her arms around him. He lowered his head and covered her lips with his. Savoring him, she deepened the kiss, just as the door opened behind them.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Sarah exclaimed, hiding her eyes as they broke apart and whipped around. Sarah hurried past them toward her bedroom. "I'm sorry!" she called again, slamming her door shut.

Mattie grinned at Morgan, who nodded. She stepped back and walked over to the cupboard that held glasses and mugs. She reached for a mug and filled it with the dark coffee. Adding cream, as per Sarah's liking, she carried it to the door and knocked. "Sarah? It's me."

She heard a grunt and, taking it as an okay, opened the door. Sarah was sitting on the bed, pulling off her heels. She looked up when Mattie set the cup on the bedside table and sat down on the bed. "Exciting night?"

Sarah shook her head and reached for the cup. She took a sip and shook her raven colored hair out of her eyes. "He waited for me."

Mattie frowned. "Who? Jake? Jake waited for you?"

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, I stayed behind to see if the commissioner needed my help. An I didn't expect him to wait, but he did. And something about that just made me—I don't know—want him."

"Want him? Like really want him?"

She grinned credulously. "Yeah. I practically jumped him. But he was so nice about it. He asked if it was really what I wanted and I said yes. He asked if I wanted to go to his place and I said yes. Can you believe that? I slept with Jake Spencer."

Mattie chuckled. "What it spectacular?"

"It was pretty great. We did it three times," Sarah replied, standing up and slipping out of her dress. She hung it up in the closet and pulled out a pair of sweats and a hoodie. She put them on and dug in the dresser for a brush. Pulling the silver clip out of her hair, she tugged the brush through it and tied it back in a low knot.

"Wow. That must have been some sex," Mattie commented and studied her left hand, where Morgan's ring glinted in the sunlight.

Sarah turned around. "What about you? I did walk into something didn't I?"

Mattie shrugged. "We had the most wonderful night. It was spectacular. But it all started with this!" She held up her hand where Sarah could see it.

Sarah's eyes widened. She made a grab for the hand and held it close. "When did this happen?"

Mattie smiled. "Last night. Right before your dad collapsed."

Sarah frowned. "And then Ric had to go and ruin it," she said dryly.

Mattie shrugged. "Well…" she looked up when there was a knock on the door.

"Mattie?"

"Coming!" With a wave, she opened the door and hurried out.

Morgan was completely dressed and standing by the door. She walked up to him and kissed him. "Are you leaving?"

"I need to get to my place and get changed. But how about breakfast at Kelly's? Say in an hour or so?" he pulled her close and whispered in her hear, "Last night was really great."

She pulled back and grinned. "Yeah?" she reached to open the door and stepped out in the hall with him. "An hour will be great. Should I meet you at Kelly's? Or do you want to come here?"

"I'll pick you up. See you then." With a wave, he walked down the hall toward the elevator.

Mattie turned back inside and hurried to her room. She had only an hour to make herself presentable. And being a doctor, she was used to working well under pressure.

**XXXXXX**

**Okay, so I hope that you like the story so far. I never really liked Ric, but I can't decide if I want him to die and if so, who should be the suspect. From where I stand there are a number of potential suspects (Claudia, Alexis, Molly, Sarah, etc). If you have any suggestions, let me know! Please review, it makes my day. **


	19. Cryptic Riddles and Wistful Wishes

**Okay, here you go…an update. Sorry it's taken me so long to finish it and update. I've been really busy with college in the last few weeks, but this week is finals, so I should have more free time in the next few weeks. Yeah! Anyway, hope you all enjoy and please comment. Let me know if I'm doing something that you like or dislike (either way, I still like reading comments). Also, if you have suggestions, let me know. Sometimes I get a little stuck, so they always help! Thanks and Enjoy!**

Mattie walked out of the elevator onto the fifth floor of General Hospital. She made her way up to the nurse's station where Elizabeth was working on the computer.

Elizabeth looked up and smiled. "Hey. Late night?" she teased, handing Mattie her case files.

"No, no. Not really. Morgan and I went home not long after the police got to Wyndemere," Mattie said innocently, opening the first file and looking it over. She made note of the medication change from the doctor who covered the night shift.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "Went home? Together? To which house?"

"What is this…interrogation?" Mattie asked exasperatedly. She closed the file and went to hand it back to Elizabeth whose eyes widened.

She made a grab for Mattie's hand. "What is this?" She hissed, turning Mattie's wrist and watching the ring glint in the sunlight.

Mattie grinned and gave up acting coy. "He asked me last night. Right before the whole 'Ric Lansing" fiasco."

"Ooh, that's so wonderful. I'm happy for you," she said, coming around the desk to give Mattie a hug.

Mattie pulled back and eyed her friend and 'aunt', "You can't tell anyone, yet. Morgan and I haven't even told my dad."

Elizabeth looked hurt. "I can keep my mouth shut." She sighed. "Okay, I won't tell."

Mattie nodded her thanks and was about to say something more when the elevator door opened and Patrick walked out. With a little wave, she sped away down the hall, but over her shoulder said, "Remember, mum's the word!"

"I know, I know. Congratulations!"Elizabeth called, and at Patrick's puzzled look, went back to her computer as if nothing had happened.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie walked down the hall and stopped outside the first door. She wasn't sure if she should go in. There were so many unanswered questions and she wasn't sure if she could meet the aunt who had been dead.

She was just about to turn around and go back the way she came when Spinelli came around the corner.

"Well if it isn't the Pretty Doctor," he joked in his Spinelli speak. They both knew he was only doing it to break up the awkward tension that was thick in the air.

"Hey, have you been in there yet?"

Spinelli shook his head. "No. Maxie went home to take a shower and change her clothes. Georgie just got back from doing tests. And I-I haven't gotten up the nerve to go in there quite yet. It's still a little weird for me." He took a sip of the cup that surely held coffee.

"I don't know if I should go in there."

Spinelli frowned. "Why not? You are her niece. She deserves to know about Robin."

Mattie nodded and looked once again at the pretty brunette in the hospital bed. She sighed. "Well, here goes nothing." She walked up and knocked on the open door.

Georgie looked up blankly. "Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Dr. Mattie Drake. I—" Mattie stayed rooted to the floor.

"I know who you are. How could I not? You are the picture of her. Come in," she cut Mattie off, motioning her in the room. She pointed to the chair next to the bed. Mattie dropped in it, unsure of what to do.

Georgie looked down and back at Mattie. "I don't know what to say, except that I'm glad Robin and Patrick got together."

Mattie nodded. "Yes, they got me and my sister Mackenzie out of it."

"You have a sister?" Georgie looked hopeful.

Mattie nodded. "Yes, she's twenty-four. She's into fashion like Maxie."

"My sister's into fashion. Wow, I missed a lot. I don't know how to make up for those years."

"You can't," Mattie said simply.

"I can't make up for missing Robin."

Mattie blinked back tears and looked away from Georgie's face. Taking a breath, she focused back. "Sorry. It's been nine years, but it's still hard."

"I know."

"She fought until the end. She never gave up that someday there would be a cure for HIV. But she didn't live to see it," Mattie said, remembering her mother's strength.

_**Flashback**_

_Mattie eased her car into a spot in front of Queen of Angels. She looked over at her mother, who was sitting silently staring out the window. "Ready?" she said softly._

_Robin jumped in surprise. She looked at Mattie and nodded. "Yes." She unhooked her seatbelt and opened the door. She tried to get out, but seem to lose strength. _

_"Here mom," Mattie said, unhooking her seatbelt and hurrying around to the passenger side door. _

_Robin smiled her thanks as she held on to Mattie's arm and they walked across the hard ground. Stopping in front of the stone, she bent down and brushed the snow away. Mattie placed the single rose on the headstone. _

_"I wish you could have known her."_

_Mattie smiled. "That would have been nice. The way you, Uncle Mac and Maxie talk about her, I wish that I could have."_

_"She would have loved to be an aunt. You think that Maxie loves it, well, Georgie loved little kids." Robin smiled as she remembered. "She played an elf at the hospital Christmas party every year, despite the fact that she was more than old enough to give it up. She loved it. She loved making the kids smile."_

_Mattie looked over to the next headstone. It was her grandfather. Robert's cancer had finally gotten to him, despite all the treatment. At least she had the chance to know him. "Mom, we should go. It's cold and you should get back to the hospital. I don't want to get in trouble for taking you out. I plan to work there someday."_

_Robin laughed, but it sounded slightly forced, as if for Mattie's benefit. "Don't let them bother you. Epiphany's really a sweetheart and between your dad and I, we've left quite a legacy." But she complied, reaching for Mattie's arm and walking slowly across the grass toward the car. _

_**End Flashback**_

Mattie was jolted back to reality. She looked at Georgie who had a strange look on her face. "I should go—let you rest." She started to get up, when Georgie stopped her.

"No, wait. Please stay. There's so much I need to know," Georgie said, putting her hand on Mattie's arm. Mattie stopped and sat back down in the chair.

"Okay."

Georgie looked down. "I can't believe that Robin finally got the baby she always wanted. And from the looks of it, you grew up to be a wonderful woman. What kind of doctor are you?"

Mattie sighed. Small talk. She could do that. "I'm an OBGYN. My father desperately wanted me to go into neuro. But my mom always said that it didn't matter what specialty I went into."

Georgie smiled. "That sounds like Robin." She looked around. "I've missed so much. First of all, I can't believe that Robin and Patrick finally got married."

Mattie nodded. "Yeah. They tried once, but then mom went into labor with me. But the second time was the charm. They got married after Christmas of 2008."

"Wow, they were married for a long time."

"Mom didn't make it to their nineteenth anniversary. I was nineteen and my sister was sixteen."

"That's hard…losing your mother when you are so young."

Mattie nodded and stood up. "I really have to get back to rounds. If you want, I'll stop by later."

Georgie nodded. "That would be nice." With a wave, Mattie disappeared through the door and down the hall, practically running. She wasn't sure what exactly she was running from though.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Maxie walked up to the front door of Kelly's but stopped. She hadn't ever had a problem going into the little restaurant, but now that Georgie was back, it brought back a lot of memories.

"Contemplating whether a muffin is worth the calories?" a voice behind her spoke. Maxie jumped in surprise and whipped around. Dillon was standing in front of her. And a young girl was by his side.

Maxie put her hand over her heart, as if to slow its wild beating. "Dillon, you scared me. I didn't know that you were back in town."

He shrugged. "I just got back a couple of weeks ago. I didn't see you at Wyndemere last night."

"I was there, but Spinelli and I left early," Maxie said, rubbing her hands together to warm them.

"I heard that you and Spinelli married. Never thought he'd get over Lulu," Dillon replied, motioning to the girl next to him. She rushed past Maxie and inside Kelly's.

"I really have to go. I have a lot going on right now. Maybe we can catch up later or something," Maxie glanced at her watch. She needed to get back to the hospital. Surely Georgie was finished with the tests by now. Dillon nodded and began walking toward the door. Maxie took a deep breath and took a chance. "Wait, Dillon?"

He stopped and turned. "Yeah?"

"There's something that you should know. It's going to come out anyway."

He frowned. She was speaking in riddles. "What are you talking about?"

"Can you come to General Hospital this morning? There's something you need to see."

"O-okay. Sure, I'll come by later. But now I have to have lunch with my daughter," With a wave and a nod, he opened the door and walked inside, leaving Maxie by herself.

She gave up on the coffee dream and hurried toward her car. She hoped that she hadn't just done something incredibly stupid. Because if that were the case, Georgie might not forgive her.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dillon walked inside the diner and closed the door behind him. Making his way to the table where Alex sat, he pondered Maxie's request. She was awfully cryptic, which was odd and out of character for Maxie Jones-Spinelli. But it intrigued him, which made him all the more willing to go to the hospital that morning.

Alex looked up as he sat down. She already had mug of hot chocolate and was looking over the menu. He motioned to one of the waitresses, who immediately appeared at the table with a cup of coffee.

"Do you know what you want?" Dillon asked his daughter, when she closed the menu and set it next to her.

She nodded. "I want the French toast plate." She sipped the foaming concoction.

"That's a good choice. I remember when Mike would put strawberries on it for no extra charge. I'm going to have the same," Dillon replied, not even bothering with the menu. He knew it by heart anyway.

"Times haven't changed that much," a voice said dryly behind them. Dillon looked over as Lulu made her way over toward their table. He jumped up and grabbed her in a hug.

She laughed and pulled back after a moment. "I didn't realize that you were back in town, Dillon You should have called."

"I just got back a few weeks ago. I've been busy with ELQ," he said, grabbing a chair and motioning for Lulu to sit.

"Okay, I'll sit, but just for a moment. I have costumers, as you can see." She motioned with her hand at the scatter of people seated at the tables.

"I didn't realize that you'd taken Kelly's over. It doesn't seem like you, this whole living in one place thing."

Lulu laughed at that, partly because he was correct in his assumption. "Well, I found that I really liked it. And after all, it is my family's diner. And with Lucky being the police chief, I was the only one to run it."

"And you and that Johnny Zacchara are married?"

"Yes. Going on twenty-five years too. It's been too long since I've seen you, but I see that you've been busy as well. Who's this pretty lady?" Lulu asked, motioning at Alex.

Dillon smiled. "This is my daughter Alex."

"Well hello Alex. Do you live with your dad?" she asked, knowing that he wasn't married.

Alex shrugged. "Not at the moment. I've been living with my mom in Llanview, Pennsylvania. But I'm hoping to stay here for a while."

Lulu stood up. "Well I have to get back to work. I'll bring out your French toast in a few minutes. In the meantime, Alex, if you do stay here and you are looking for a job, Kelly's is hiring." With a wave, she walked back toward the kitchen.

Dillon turned to his daughter who wore a hopeful look on her face. "Don't get your hopes up too high, sweetheart," he warned, not knowing how Starr would react to her daughter wanting to live permanently with him.

"Can we at least ask mom?" Alex asked, tentatively.

He sighed. "Yes, we can ask."

She smiled. "Good. Lulu seems nice. Did you go to school with her?"

He hesitated. There was no sense in telling his daughter more than she really needed to know. After all there was a lot more history between him and Lulu Spencer than simply being classmates at PC High. "Yes, but she was also my step-sister for a while. Her father was married to Grandma Tracy a long time ago."

Alex nodded, just as Lulu set their breakfast on the table. "Enjoy!" Dillon and Alex picked up their forks and began eating the delicious concoction.

Life couldn't really get any better, Dillon thought. He was spending precious time with his daughter and getting a piece of his childhood in the form of Kelly's. The only problem was that there was a nagging feeling that kept bothering him in the form of Maxie's cryptic riddle.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Molly walked into the Metrocourt Hotel and strode toward the elevator. She wanted to drowned herself in work today…to make up for the previous evening when her father had collapsed from an apparent poisoning.

"I hope to God that he just expires right there in the hospital," she muttered, stabbing the tenth floor button. She sincerely hoped that Kate had a lot of work lined up for today.

Finally the elevator stopped at Crimson's offices and she stepped out. The office was empty at this early morning hour. And for that, Molly was glad. She walked to her desk and stowed her bag in the bottom drawer. Sitting down, she perused Kate's schedule for the day. There was a phone meeting with Federico at eleven that morning and another meeting with a _Fusion _proxy at two. Meanwhile, Molly had to contact the photographer about the spring lineup and deal with the final choice for new models.

Molly sighed. Well, there seemed like enough work to drown herself in for several hours at least. She picked up the phone as there seemed like no better time to start than now.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dillon laid cash down on the table and smiled as Lulu swooped in to pick it up. She put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "So, are you staying in town?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. For now. My mom needs someone to help her keep up the house and with my brother still up in Bensonhurst and Brook Lynn on tour, she's all alone." He sipped his coffee and looked at her over the rim of the cup.

"I see, well, we should get together with Maxie and Spinelli for dinner or something. I'm sure that they would like that," Lulu replied.

Dillon hesitated. "Speaking of Maxie, have you talked to her lately?" he set the cup back on the table.

Lulu frowned. "Well of course. I mean, I live here. I see her once a week or so."

"That wasn't what I meant, exactly." He sighed. "I ran into her outside Kelly's this morning. And she was really cryptic. She wanted me to come by GH this morning, but didn't elaborate why."

Lulu's eyes widened. She seemed in a hurry to get away. "I-I don't know. That's odd. Are you going to do it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, she'd made me curious."

"Oh. Well. I'm sure that it's something good. Listen, I have to go. See you around. Bye Alex, nice meeting you," she replied and hurried away with a wave. Dillon stared after her in surprise. Maxie had acted weird this morning and now Lulu. Something was up and he suspected that it had something to do with the hospital. Motioning to Alex, he stood up and together they walked outside. He needed to get to the hospital and get to the bottom of this mystery.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Okay, please comment now! I do have a question for those who were fans of Dillon and Georgie. When he finally discovers that she's alive, should they get together? I liked them together and it can only be better now that they're both older and have separate pasts (I can see some great dialogue between them). Let me know please! Thanks. **


	20. Happy Announcements!

Dillon walked out of the elevator and stopped. He looked around in awe over how the hospital hadn't changed since his childhood in Port Charles. Looking over toward the nurses' station, he saw Elizabeth Webber behind it working on the computer. He took a deep breath and walked up to the desk.

"Excuse me?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Elizabeth looked up. "Yes?—Dillon!" She stopped what she was doing and came around to give him a hug. After all, she'd been Emily's best friend and he'd been Emily's cousin, so they'd known each other in passing a long time ago.

"Hey," he said awkwardly returning her hug. She pulled back and smiled.

"What can I do for you?" she went back behind the desk just as the phone rang. Holding a finger up as a signal, she picked up the phone and spoke in her most cheerful voice. "Fifth floor nurses station…this is Nurse Webber." She listened for a moment. Nodding, she punched another button on the phone. "Yes, I'll transfer you…Dr. Drake…would that be Patrick Drake or Mattie Drake? Yes, yes, one moment please."

She looked back at Dillon, who wore a confused look on his face. "Mattie Drake, Robin and Patrick's daughter," she explained, understanding his confusion. For someone who was away from Port Charles for any long period of time, getting back into the swing of things could take a while. "Did you want something?"

He sucked in a breath and nodded. "Uh, yeah. I was hoping to find out if Maxie Jones was somewhere in the hospital. She asked me to meet her here, but didn't tell me where."

Elizabeth frowned in surprise. She wasn't sure what to say to that. "Um…I'll page her. If you want to wait over there." She pointed to the circle of chairs in the waiting area. Picking up the phone, she watched him walk to the chairs. "Maxie Jones to the fifth floor nurses' station. Maxie Jones to the nurses' station, please." She replaced the phone and studied that man that sat by the elevator. Elizabeth wondered how Dillon would react to seeing his first love alive. He'd helped bury her thirty years ago and now…to find her alive; it would surely alter his world. She was jolted out of her musings by Maxie's frantic voice.

"What's wrong?" she asked, hurrying out of the elevator and up to the desk. Saying nothing, Elizabeth motioned to Dillon who was halfheartedly thumbing through a two week old issue of _People_ magazine. Maxie's eyes widened, but she took a deep breath and a step forward.

"Dillon?"

He looked up and when he saw her, stood up. "Maxie."

She smiled. "Hi, thanks for coming so soon. Um, how are you?" she smoothed down her blouse nervously.

Dillon shook his head. "No small talk, Maxie. Why am I here?"

Pursing her lips, she nodded. "Okay, no small talk. Well in that case, why don't you come with me?" she turned sharply and walked down the hallway toward Georgie's room.

"Where are we going?" Dillon inquired impatiently. He hurried along to keep up with her. Despite her small stature, Maxie had quite a stride.

Maxie turned around and glared at him. "Can't you just be patient?"

Without waiting for answer, she led him around one last corner and stopped in front of a closed door. Dillon looked at her quizzically, unsure of what to say. He still didn't know why she'd brought him here. Finally, she broke the silence.

"Dillon, this is going to shock you—I know it did me. But you just have to go with it and listen to the explanation," Maxie said quietly, opening the door and waiting for him to enter. She closed the door behind him and leaned against it. Lord, she hoped that she'd done the right thing, because this could potentially backfire and come back to hurt her. Shaking her head, she turned around and watched the scene unfold inside her sister's hospital room.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dillon couldn't believe his eyes. She wasn't here, couldn't be here. There was no way. He'd seen her, dead, and he'd been to her funeral. That had happened thirty years ago, but now…it couldn't be her. Could it?

The woman who lay in the standard hospital bed looked like her. She had Georgie's face, her hair…and he imagined her eyes, if they were open. But still, it wasn't possible.

Shaking his head, Dillon walked up to the side of the bed and reached a hand out. He had to know if he was seeing things or if this was real. He brushed his hand down her silky cheek, taking in her smell. She smelled like his Georgie, but was it?

Was this what Maxie was talking about? That Georgie was really alive, after all this time? As much as some part of his wanted that to be true, another part wanted to scream at her for staying away.

A small rustling jolted him out of his musings. Dillon yanked his hand away and stared down at the petite brunette with a colorful cascading of bruises on her porcelain face. She opened her eyes and he was startled to see Georgie's eyes staring back at him.

"Dillon?"

It was said so quietly that he would have missed it if he hadn't been staring right at her. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. What did you say to the woman who was supposed to be dead?

Georgie blinked her eyes and tried to focus. She'd been dreaming about him and then he was here. It was weird, but comforting. She wasn't sure how to explain everything that had happened in the last twenty-nine years though. She wasn't sure if Dillon would understand it…or want to understand it.

"Georgie," he whispered, still not quite sure if she was real.

She smiled and reached a hand out. He grasped it for a brief moment, and then dropped it. "Why?" it was so simple a question, but they both knew that the answer was anything but simple.

She looked down. "It's complicated."

He shook his head violently. "No. what's complicated is the fact that you are here, when you are supposed to be dead."

"Dillon—"

"Don't."

"I'd like to explain, if you'll let me," she whispered. Her voice wavered and she willed herself not to cry.

"I can't do this right now. I'm sorry, I just can't," he turned away from her and left the room in a hurry. She watched him disappear down the hall and closed her eyes. She didn't stop the tears now. There was no use. Just like she'd lost Dillon twenty-nine years ago, she'd lost him again. And that broke her heart more than anything she'd experienced in that time.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bree burst through the door breathless. She and her mother had been all over town. They'd spent the better part of the day shopping in downtown Llanview. Now she was ready to fall down with fatigue. She dropped her bags on the table and stripped off her coat. Jessica had talked her into a new dress by declaring that it went great with Bree's eyes. She laughed as she practically crawled into the living room and dropped onto the couch. Sometimes her mother was hard to resist. She would pick up a shirt or dress and demand that Bree try it on. Bree had managed to get away with only buying the dress and a pair of heels because Jess had said that Bree hadn't even thought to bring any with her. They'd finally left only after Bree had claimed exhaustion.

While Bree closed her eyes and willed the tension away, Jess practically skipped inside and set her myriad of shopping bags near the stairs. She disposed of her coat and scarf and reached up to set the kettle to heat on the stove. The house was quiet so she assumed that Viki and Charlie were out.

When she had fixed the tea and placed it along with scones on a tray, she walked into the living room. Bree was lying awkwardly on the couch sound asleep. Jessica smiled and set the tray down. Walking over to her daughter, she draped a throw over her and placed a gentle kiss on her brow.

It was hard to believe that Bree was all grown up. When she was away, Jess forgot that her baby was a woman. But now, that she was back for a visit, Jess wished for just a little more time with her daughter.

Bree looked so much like the father she didn't remember. Nash would have been proud of their daughter…of both their daughters. Jess felt shame wash over her briefly. It was rare that she thought of her dark days when Bree had been a little girl and after Chloe had died—the real Chloe. The one she'd never known because she hadn't been well when she'd given birth to her still-born daughter. Her alter, Bess, had switched the baby with her cousin's baby. When the secret had finally come out, Jess had been forced to give up the baby that had become hers. And she still regretted her decision…or rather Bess' decision.

Shaking her head, Jessica let go of her memories and focused on the child she did have. Part of her wished that she wouldn't have to say goodbye, but she knew that Bree was an adult and had her own life. Jessica wished that Bree didn't lead such a dangerous life, but knew that her daughter was strong.

Getting to her feet, she poured herself a cup of tea. She walked to the window and looked out at the snow covered ground. Christmas was nearly here and she had her daughter home. She needed to let go of the past and celebrate with Bree. It was what Nash would have wanted and she had to learn to live with her past, no matter how sordid and troubled it was. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie tugged her shirt over her head, careful to not mess with her hair. She was in a hurry to get home and get ready for dinner. She and Morgan were meeting Patrick at the Metrocourt to tell him their news. She wondered how he would take it. Hopefully, he'd be happy for them. When she'd told her father that she loved Morgan at the charity ball, he'd seemed happy for her. But now that they were officially engaged, would it be the same?

She reached for her slacks and slipped them on. Finished with her short brown boots, she fluffed her hair in the mirror. Suddenly Kelly appeared behind her. Mattie whipped around and smiled.

"Hey, I heard that you were off. I haven't seen you all day. And I heard a little bird say something about a ring," she smiled and reached for Mattie's hand.

Mattie narrowed her eyes. "Would that little bird happen to be a petite brunette wearing purple scrubs?"

"So what it if it was. Don't get mad at Elizabeth, she's just excited for you—we all are. Have you told your dad yet?" Kelly dropped Mattie' hand after gawking at the ring.

Mattie shook her head and glanced at the clock. "No, not yet. Actually, we're having dinner tonight at the Metrocourt. We'll tell him then. I think he'll be okay with it though. The other night at the ball, when we danced together, he didn't seem too surprised when I said that I loved Morgan." She picked up her coat and, slipping it on, she buttoned it before tying her scarf. Kelly picked up her purse and gave it to her and together they walked out of the locker room.

"Good luck," Kelly said, leaning in for a hug. She'd always been close to Robin and after Robin's death, had acted as a confidante for Mattie, in addition to being her aunt by marriage.

Mattie stepped onto the elevator and gave a thumbs up sign. "Thanks," she replied as the door closed.

Kelly watched her go and smiled. Mattie was growing up. She knew that Robin would be proud of her little girl. She only hoped that Mattie was proud of herself and all she'd accomplished. Turning back to the desk, Kelly waved at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth replaced the phone and looked at her friend. "Did she go?"

Kelly nodded. "Yeah, she had to go home and get ready for dinner. She and Morgan are telling Patrick tonight."

Elizabeth grinned. "Oh I can't wait to see how that turns out. Patrick has never been fond of Morgan and he's pretty attached to the idea that Mattie's still a little girl."

Kelly smiled. "Well I hope that he's ready for a shock, because the Mattie that just walked out of here is not a little girl."

"I hope that Patrick will see that." Elizabeth shrugged and went back to her filing. If she was lucky, she'd be out of here within the next hour or so. Kelly walked back to the locker room and began to change her own clothes. She wanted to get home. Matt was off today and he was cooking dinner for her. She smiled as she thought of her own love life. As tumultuous as it had once been, she'd found her lifeline with Matt Hunter…of all people.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie finished powdering her nose just as the doorbell rang. She could hear Sarah opening it and welcoming Morgan inside. Running a brush through her hair one last time, she sighed and walked out of the bathroom. It was as good as it was going to get.

Morgan looked up as Mattie walked calmly into the living room. She managed to maintain the calm exterior, even though her stomach felt as though it were filled with a dozen high-jumping frogs. He walked up to her and pulled her toward him. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself. He'd seen though her façade right away.

"It's going to be okay," he murmured in her hair.

She pulled back and nodded sharply. "I know, but it is my father…"

"It will be fine. Your dad will be so happy for you," Sarah cut in, grinning. She folded her arms over her chest and frowned. "Now, you guys better get going or you'll be late." She handed Mattie her coat and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "You'll be great!"

Mattie sighed and followed Morgan out the door and down the hall toward the elevator. Morgan gripped her hand as they waited for the elevator to descend to the lobby. Together, they walked out of the building and down the street toward the Metrocourt.

The hotel lobby was abuzz with activity when they walked inside. Morgan led the way toward the restaurant without stopping at the front desk. He wasn't in the mood for a confrontation with his mother right now, especially with Mattie so nervous over telling her father about their engagement.

As they walked inside the restaurant, they spotted Patrick seated at a table by the window. Mattie took a deep breath and pulled her hand from Morgan's. She'd rather not give her father any clues, not yet anyway.

Patrick stood up when he spotted them. "Hi guys!" He kissed Mattie's cheek and pulled her chair out for her. She took a seat as her father shook Morgan's hand. When they were all seated, a waitress appeared and took their drink orders. Morgan spoke for all of them.

"I'll have your most expensive wine," he said, pointing to a name on the wine list that Mattie couldn't pronounce, let alone afford. "A bottle," he added as the waitress walked away.

Patrick eyed Morgan suspiciously. "Are we celebrating something?"

Mattie's eyes widened and she looked at Morgan worriedly. Under the table she was wringing her hands. Morgan shook his head and reached for her hand beneath the table. He couldn't figure out why she was so worried about telling her dad.

"_Well_?" Patrick inquired. He picked up his water glass and sipped it, eyeing his daughter over the rim.

"We are celebrating something," Morgan began, hoping that Mattie would have the courage to jump in.

Lucky for him, she did. "Dad, Morgan and I are…engaged to be married," she finished breathlessly, like a runner at the end of the race.

Patrick choked slightly on his water, but to his credit, didn't look too surprised. "Really? Well that's great," he said, getting to his feet and drawing Mattie to hers. He drew her into a hug and held her tight for a moment. Pulling back, he took his seat again and waited for Mattie to sit down. He looked at Morgan and shook his hand. "Congratulations to you both. I'm really happy for you."

Mattie breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that you say that dad." She picked up her water glass and took a long drink.

Patrick frowned. "Why were you so worried? I respect you and I trust your judgment. After all, you are your mother's daughter."

Mattie shook her head. "It doesn't matter now."

Morgan nodded. "No, it doesn't. And I can promise you, Dr. Drake, I love your daughter and I respect her as well. She and I will have a good life together."

Patrick smiled. "I know you do, Morgan. As much as your mother hated Robin, I'm glad that you too are together." He turned to Mattie. "So, are we going to be planning a big wedding?"

Mattie sighed. "I don't know. I figured that I'd leave the planning to Maxie. After all, she did plan both of your weddings. But I don't want a huge wedding, the problem is that we have too many close friends and family. Between the hospital and…" she looked at Morgan. "I-I mean, I'm sure that there are important people of your father's that you want to invite."

Morgan shook his head. "I only want people who I care about at the wedding. Most of Jax's business associates are only acquaintances. Although, you will have to deal with my mother."

"I'll let Maxie deal with her for the wedding. She will be here for the rest of our lives, why not wait?"

Morgan grinned as the waitress appeared with their wine and glasses. "Yeah that is how most people feel…"

After those first awkward moments, all three settled in for their meal. This was the beginnings of a good family.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Okay, so this update has taken a little while. For that I'm sorry, but I've been busy with finals. Now that college is finished, I hope to have several more chapters up in the coming weeks. Please review (I love reading them both negative and positive). I'm having a little trouble with Dillon and Georgie. I want them to experience turmoil after their reunion. But I am having trouble with the angst part of it. Let me know if you have any suggestions. Please review! Thanks for reading!**


	21. Worries and Joy

"He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you."

Georgie lifted her bruised tearstained face from her hands and stared at her sister. It was like old times, the way they were talking about their problems. "He does. Did you see the way he stormed out of here? You'd think I had the plague."

"He doesn't hate you. It had to have been quite a shock. Think of how it was when I found out that you were alive," Maxie reasoned. She paced back and forth, berating herself for even telling Dillon in the first place and causing her sister this pain.

Georgie frowned behind Maxie's back. "You don't mean that. I know you Maxie, because if you did, you wouldn't be pacing."

Maxie stopped and glared. "I do mean it. Dillon Quartermaine loved you—"

"Loved me, as in past tense," Georgie cut in angrily. She hated to give Maxie an attitude, but she just couldn't help it. She was just so irritated at Dillon.

"Georgie—"

"Don't. Just don't," Georgie shook her head adamantly. "I've learned to live with my mistakes. I lost Dillon and I just need to get over it."

"Miracles happen," Maxie insisted, dropping into the arm chair beside the bed.

"Not to me they don't. I gave up my life as it was when I decided to fake my death and join the WSB as an undercover agent," Georgie said decidedly. As far as she was concerned the topic was closed, locked tightly with the key tossed away.

Maxie sighed. She knew her sister and because she did, she knew that Georgie was anything if not stubborn. "Miracles do happen. You're back and you're alive. As far as I'm concerned that's a miracle among miracles." She stood up and placed a gentle kiss on her sister's brow. "I love you, Georgie. I need you, so don't go away." She turned and walked toward the door. Georgie's voice stopped her.

"Maxie?"

"Yes?" she stopped and turned.

"I love you too, more than anything. I never stopped loving you, even when I was gone," Georgie replied. She smiled slightly. "And I'm not going anywhere. I've come home, where I belong." She laid her head back and settled into the pillows.

"Goodnight Georgie," Maxie said, hitting the switch on the wall. The room was dimmed and she could only make out Georgie's form lying on the hospital bed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Maxie." She closed her eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Maxie tiptoed down the hallway, carrying her coat and purse. She'd hoped that by telling Dillon, all would be well. But in the end, she'd only caused more heartache. She rubbed her eyes and hit the elevator button. The clock on the wall read 10:03. She never planned to be out so late, but it couldn't be helped. It had taken all day to wait for Dillon and by the time he'd gone, she had been trying to comfort both her sister and herself. Perhaps tomorrow would be better. She could only hope for both herself and Georgie.

The vibration of her cell phone snapped her out of her musings. She reached for it out of her purse and looked at the reading. It was a missed message from Mac. Shaking her head, she laughed to herself. She hadn't thought of him in days. But now she needed to decide what to do about him. He'd have to know eventually. Soon, if the doctors had their way. Dr. Drake had said that she might be released within the week.

If only life were easier, Maxie thought as she unlocked her car door and got inside. But if it were, she supposed, it would be boring. And if there was anything that Maxie Jones-Spinelli hated more than anything, it was monotony.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel. Drying herself off, she slipped her robe off the hook and put it on. With only one bathroom in their tiny apartment, she and Sarah had a schedule for showers. Mattie would get dressed and ready in the privacy of her own bedroom so that Sarah could use the bathroom. Picking up her discarded clothing, she opened the door and crept down the hall toward her bedroom.

As she closed the door, she could hear the murmur of the television. Sarah was probably watching _The Today Show _while she finished her breakfast. She wasn't a morning person by nature, so Mattie had quickly learned to stay out of her way during that part of the day.

Still wearing her robe, she stood in front of the closet and perused her options. Because she was a resident and more often than naught spent her days in scrubs, she rarely worried about what she was wearing for work. But today was different. She didn't know why, but she felt different, more beautiful. And something made her want to play the part.

Perhaps it was the ring on her finger or the fact that she'd gotten a really great night of sleep. But whatever it was, she felt different, better than normal.

She flipped through the rainbow of identical blouses and slacks of dark drab colors. Frowning, she selected a pair of gray slacks and…she didn't want to wear the same blouse again. So what to wear? Smiling, she spotted a light pink cashmere sweater. That was the perfect thing to wear on a day like today.

Mattie slipped the robe off her body and replaced it with matching panties and a bra. Over that, she pulled on a white camisole and tugged on the sweater. She slipped the slacks on and buttoned them at the waist. There, she was nearly done.

Twenty minutes later, she walked out of the room, having dried and brushed her hair and finished her make-up. She'd opted to wear her hair in a low pony-tail at the base of her neck.

Sarah was stepping out of the bathroom as she made her way toward the kitchen. Mattie deposited her dirty clothes in the hamper in the bathroom. One of these days, she'd have to lug the basket down stairs to the washroom and do the laundry. She and Sarah tried to split chores like laundry and housework fifty-fifty. But usually whoever had the time would do the work.

She walked into the kitchen and poured her first cup of coffee for the day. Sipping it, she wondered what Morgan was doing at the moment. Was he having breakfast or what he already at the station for the day? Had he taken a shower yet? At that thought, she shook her head. She was so losing it. It was one little engagement ring and she was tempted to check herself into Shadybrook. Perhaps she should stop by and talk with Lainey today.

A rap on the door had to chuckling to her. Saved by the knock, she thought and set her cup down to answer it. She smiled when she opened the door and saw Morgan standing in front of her with a huge bouquet of tulips.

"Hey beautiful." He leaned in for a kiss and she fully intended to give him only a peck when he pulled her into his arms and deepened the kiss. Finally he let her go and she opened the door wider for him.

"Are those for me?" she asked coyly, eyeing the bursting bunch of flowers.

He thrust them out and grinned at her. "I saw them and they reminded me of you."

She laughed and walked back toward the kitchen, her arms full of blooms. She dumped them on the counter and motioned to a high cupboard where vases were stored. It wasn't often that she got flowers so the vases were stores out of the way. He reached up and deftly grabbed a Waterford Crystal vase that had been given to her by Anna. She filled it with water and lovingly arranged the flowers while Morgan poured a cup of coffee for himself.

"I know that you have to be at the hospital but I was wondering if you wanted to catch dinner tonight. I was thinking that maybe we should tell my mom and Jax about the wedding too," he said carefully. He wasn't sure how she would react and didn't want to spoil the bliss.

She looked up and the smile drained from her face. "Really? Do we have to—I mean, we haven't even set a date yet." She looked like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights.

He cursed himself for hurrying her too fast. "Look, I'm sorry. We don't have to, not yet anyway."

She shook her head. "No, no. we do have to. It's only right, especially if I see Maxie and ask her about helping plan our wedding." She sighed and turned away to look out the window.

Morgan came up behind her and put his arms around her. "Mattie, I love you. Don't ever doubt that. I know that my mom can be overbearing sometimes, but remember that I love you." He turned her around and kissed her lips soundly.

She pulled back and eyed him skeptically. "Overbearing? I'm sorry because I know she's your mom and you love her, but that's Carly on a nice day."

He laughed and hugged her to him. "I knew there was a reason that I loved you. At least I'll never have a dull day when I'm with you."

"Oh, so that's the only reason you love me?" she asked coyly, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

He grinned. "Well…there is your fabulous smile and your gorgeous body."

"In that order?"

"Not necessarily," he said, tilting her head up and pushed his lips on hers possessively.

She smiled and her eye caught sight of the clock on the stove. It read 8:37. She had only twenty minutes to get to work and get changed before her shift. Slipping out of his arms, she grinned. "Now look what you did. You made me late. I'm going to have to punish you for that later."

"Oh really. What kind of punishment did you have in mind?"

She chuckled. "I'm going to let you suffer. You'll just have to wait and see." With one last kiss, she dumped her coffee down the sink and rinsed out the cup. Walking to the hall closet, she pulled out her wool coat and slipped it on. She wrapped her scarf around her neck and picked up her laptop bag and purse. "I'm leaving Sarah!" she called, tugging her gloves on.

The bedroom door opened and Sarah walked out, dressed in her police uniform. "I'm leaving—oh hi Morgan! I didn't know you were here," she said sarcastically. She looked at Mattie and rolled her eyes.

"Hi Sarah," Morgan replied dryly. He picked up his coat and followed Mattie out the door. "Bye Sarah."

"Bye Sarah. I'll call you later," Mattie called, her tone implying that Sarah better not ask anything about what she'd heard in the kitchen.

Together, Mattie and Morgan walked down the hallway and stepped onto the elevator. He followed her out to her car and waited until she'd driven away. She waved as she turned the car out of the garage onto the street.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Maxie stepped off the elevator and walked directly toward her sister's room. In her hand, she held a tray with two coffees in it and a bag of pastries from Kelly's. She knew that if Epiphany or Elizabeth saw her with the food, she'd get reprimanded.

Georgie's room was open and Maxie could see Dr. Drake examining her. She stopped in the doorway and waited while the doctor finished talking to her sister. Georgie looked up and smiled when she saw Maxie.

"Hi!"

Patrick turned around. "Oh hi Maxie, perfect timing."

She stepped in. "Oh, good news?"

"I think that the patient is fit to go home today," Patrick said, smiling at Georgie. He made a notation in his chart and patted Maxie's shoulder. As he walked past, he leaned in close, "You are going to have to tell Mac soon."

She frowned and nodded. As soon as he'd left, she pasted a smile on her face and walked to Georgie's bedside. Setting the coffees down, she handed the bag of pastries to Georgie.

"Here, I brought you some pastries from Kelly's. I thought they'd bring back some memories," she said, sitting down in the chair.

Georgie smiled. "Thanks." She looked down for a moment and then back at Maxie's face. "I-I'm sorry for last night."

Maxie shook her head. "No, no, don't be sorry." She took a sip of her coffee and handed the other cup to Georgie, who accepted it gratefully.

"So I'm finally going to be out of this place," Georgie commented awkwardly. She wasn't sure what to say to her sister. Not after last night.

Maxie frowned. She couldn't do small talk today. She needed to get to the point. "We need to tell Mac."

Georgie stopped and stared at her sister. "What do you mean?"

"Georgie, you are getting out of the hospital today. Where are you going to go? I mean—we live in Port Charles, you are going to run into him eventually. Imagine how heart-stopping that would be—to see his dead daughter alive," Maxie reasoned.

"Okay." Georgie looked up at the clock.

"Okay? Just like that?" Maxie questioned, surprised at her sister's complacent attitude.

Georgie shrugged. "Well yeah. I mean, it has to be done. He will have to know so we might as well tell him."

"I'll do it. I don't want him to have a heart attack," Maxie said dryly. She stood up and reached for her jacket. "I'll go over there now. Hopefully when I get back you'll be discharged. Oh by the way, Spinelli and I are inviting you to stay with us until you figure out what you are going to do."

Georgie looked taken aback. "I-I…thanks." Her mouth fell agape. "I don't know what to say."

Maxie smiled. "Say yes. Say that you will stay with us and stay here in Port Charles…or at least won't go away for long." She leaned down and kissed Georgie's forehead.

Georgie smiled. "Yes. Now go. I have a feeling you are going to have your hands full with Mac—if he's anything like he was thirty years ago, he's stubborn."

"Like someone else I know," Maxie said dryly. But she waved and walked out of the room.

Georgie watched her go and shook her head. She didn't know how Mac would take it but hoped that it would be okay because she didn't want to cause anyone else anymore pain. Not after what she'd done to Dillon. As much as she wanted her life back the way it was before she'd 'died', she didn't want to hurt the people who had mourned for her. Sighing, she pushed back the covers and slipped out of the bed. If she was going to be discharged soon, she might as well see about her belongings.

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**Okay, so you should review now. Please…I love reading them! How is the story so far? The next chapter will include Maxie telling Mac about Georgie. That's going to be a heartbreaker. Also, a little sneak peak…Georgie will have a life between her 'death' and her return and it isn't pretty. So keep reading. Hopefully I will have another chapter up within the next week. This last chapter came fast…my muse is working overtime. Review please, but most of all…Enjoy!**


	22. Important and Shock Worthy News

Maxie maneuvered her car into Mac's driveway and killed the engine. She released the seatbelt and began to open the door. Suddenly she stopped and pulled her hand back. What the Hell was she doing? She was about to go into the house and tell she man she'd called dad for as she as she could remember that the daughter he'd buried almost thirty years ago was alive. How crazy did that sound? Truthfully, she still couldn't believe that Georgie was back. There was so much she wanted to know, but didn't have the courage to ask. But it was one thing to see it herself and entirely another to shock her aging father.

Well, he was going to find out eventually and she'd rather he know from her and not from any other source. Sighing, she pushed open the door and stepped out. After all, there was no time like the present.

She trudged up the walk and climbed the steps, feeling as though she'd just completed a marathon. Something made her want to play it formal and ring the doorbell, but she knew that Mac would know something was up. So she pulled her key out of her bag and put it in the lock. Turning it, she heard the door release and after opening it, stepped inside.

"Mac!" she set her coat and bag on a chair in the foyer and stepped down into the living room. It looked exactly the same as it had when she was a little girl, sans for the new recliner he'd invested in after retiring. "Mac! It's Maxie!"

He appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room. "Hey, I didn't expect you." He was drying his hands on a towel, which he tossed to a counter. She smiled and took a hesitant step into the living room.

"Yeah, it was kind of unexpected."

"Well, I like the unexpected. Do you want some coffee or something?" he motioned her toward the kitchen and she came slowly.

"Sure…that'd be nice." She sat in a kitchen chair and accepted a mug of steaming coffee. She murmured her thanks as he took a seat across from her. Maxie looked at her father. He'd aged well, considering all the gray hair she, Georgie and Robin had given him throughout the years. Despite retirement nearly twenty years earlier, he'd kept in good shape and hardly looked his age. His once thick black hair had settled into a salt and peppered pattern that looked good on his narrow face. She smiled inwardly at how little he'd changed in the years she'd called him her father.

Mac frowned as he sipped his coffee. Over the rim of his cup, he studied the woman who sat across from him. In all the years since she was a child, she never fidgeted, but now she was doing just that and Mac could see how nervous she looked.

"What's wrong Maxie?" he asked, setting the mug down on the table. He leaned in and folded his hands on top of the cherry wooded table.

Her eyes widened, but to her credit, she managed to keep her composure. "What makes you think something's wrong _dad_?" she closed her eyes for a moment and tried to pull herself together. She needed to remember that what she was about to tell him was good news. The only problem was that it could potentially cause a heart attack.

"You're fidgeting."

Her eyes narrowed this time. "I am not," she replied indignantly.

"Yes, you are. And I know you Maxie, you don't fidget," he said coolly.

"No. I don't. And I'm not planning to start now," she snapped, and then scolded herself for giving him an attitude.

"Maxie, you need to tell me what's wrong. I can see it in your eyes. Something is up," Mac said, picking up his cup.

"Okay, I'll tell you, but I need to warn you that this is major and it will shock you."

He nodded. "Okay…" he set the cup back down in preparation.

She sighed. "Last week Mattie and Patrick called me to the hospital. They had a patient that was a Jane Doe. Well, she wasn't exactly a Jane Doe, but they needed my help in identifying her. All she had was a WSB badge. She'd been in an accident out by the cemetery on the highway."

He frowned. "Okay, but why did you have to identify her?" he picked up the coffee cup again and took a sip.

Maxie closed her eyes and wished there was a more delicate way to tell him this. "Because the badge said Agent Georgianna Jones."

His eyes widened and he nearly spewed coffee all over the kitchen. He set the cup on the table with a thump and stared hard at her. This time she did fidget. She felt like she was a teenager again and he was interrogating her about staying out late or something.

"That's not possible."

She shook her head. "That's what I said. Patrick had to operate on her to relieve pressure on her brain so I couldn't see her right away, but when I did—I knew. It was Georgie."

"I don't understand. I read the autopsy report. She was dead."

"It was forged. She was handpicked by the WSB and she'd been an undercover agent for almost thirty years," Maxie said, getting to her feet and coming around to hug Mac. He held on to her as if she were his lifeline.

"I don't know what to say…"

Maxie sighed. "I think it would be better if she told you the story. I just needed to tell you. She'd being released today and she will stay with Spinelli and I for a while. At least until she figures out what she will do next. Perhaps you can stop by later and see her." She leaned down and kissed his weathered cheek. "I'm sorry Mac, for springing this on you, but I had to tell you sometimes."

He looked up hesitantly. "You mean, she's really alive and well?"

Maxie nodded. "Well, she's alive. And she will be well. Patrick says the prognosis is good. She'll be fine. Listen, I have to go. I said that I would be back before they discharged her." She walked out into the living room and slipped into her coat. With a small smile, she opened the door and walked outside toward her car.

Mac watched her go. His baby girl was alive, after all these years. He'd come to terms with the heinous crime that had stolen her from him, but now…he felt like he was getting a second chance. Sighing, he walked to the hall closet and reached for his own jacket. He knew exactly where he needed to go right now. It was the same place he always went when he needed to think. He needed to be close to his family and it seemed that too much of his family were at the very same place.

Locking the door, he walked across the lawn to his own car and got inside. Starting up the engine, he eased it into the road and angled toward the edge of town.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie flipped through the charts on the desk of the nurses' station. She was looking for a particular chart. _Aha! _There it was. She picked up the patient's chart and scanned it. No signs of trauma other than the poisoning. Surgery had been done to fix the punctured lung and now Ric Lansing was in recovery. Wouldn't Molly and Sarah just love that!

She closed the chart just as the elevator door opened and Maxie walked through it. Mattie smiled as she studied Maxie's pale face. Maxie spotted her and walked up to the desk.

"Hi."

"Hey, how are you? I heard that Georgie was being released today," Mattie replied, frowning over how worn out Maxie appeared. She took her aunt's hands and led her to the couch in the waiting room.

"Yeah." Maxie looked around absently, as if itching to find a reason to bolt. Seeing Mattie's worried face, she sighed. "I just came from Mac's."

Mattie's eyes widened. "Oh." It was all that was necessary to say. "How did he take it?"

Maxie shrugged. "Surprisingly well. He was calm…or he seemed calm on the outside. I'm sure that he was startled. I mean—I just told him that Georgie, who he was dead thirty years ago—is alive."

"I see."

"Do you?" Maxie cocked her head and studied Mattie. She liked what she saw in her smart, strong-headed niece.

"I do. You desperately want everything to be the way it was before Georgie left, but honey, the problem is that nothing is the same. Everything is different and there's nothing that you can do about it," Mattie replied, getting to her feet. She pulled Maxie up and hugged her aunt. "Nothing is the same, but that doesn't mean that it can't be better. Maxie, you have your sister back. Cherish that time, okay? That's all you can do for now."

Maxie smiled and held on to Mattie. "How did you get to be so smart?"

Mattie chuckled. "Well that came from a combination of my very intelligent parents and college." Suddenly her eyes widened. "Oh, I almost forgot. You are so going to hate me because you aren't the first to know."

Maxie frowned. "What is the world are you talking about?"

Mattie held out her left hand. "I got engaged!"

Maxie gasped and made a grab for Mattie's hand. She studied the ring and looked back at her niece, who was grinning from ear to ear. "When?"

"At the ball."

"And you waited this long? Oh what the Hell. Mattie, I'm so happy for you," she said, wiping the tears out of her eyes and crushing Mattie into a hug.

"I'm sorry, but I just got caught up. Anyway, I was hoping that you would do our wedding. And before you ask, we haven't decided anything, date, number of people, location, etc. I barely have had a chance to think about it myself, let alone discuss it with Morgan."

"That doesn't matter, not right now. Oh, Mattie. I'm so happy for you. I can't believe that you're getting married. We will have to talk soon, okay. But now, I need to see about my sister," Maxie replied, hugging her again.

Mattie nodded. "Yes, you do. Tell her hello for me. I'll try to stop by tomorrow or something. Okay?"

"That will be fine. I've got to go. She's probably ready to go." With a wave, Maxie hurried away down the hall toward Georgie's room.

Mattie watched her go and hugged her arms around her body as if trying to keep the heat inside. She wished that life was easier and that the curveballs weren't so sharp. But there was no such way to predict how fate would play it out. Shrugging, she walked back to the desk and picked up a chart. She'd do better to keep busy and what better place to do so than the hospital.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Okay, please review. I hope that you like the story so far. I have quite a few more plans and can't wait to delve deeper into Georgie's past. I also want to include some angst between Georgie and Dillon, but am having problems with the writing. So I hope that it will be up to your satisfaction. Again, please review. And above all, ENJOY!**


	23. A No Nonsense Breakup

"Hey! Ready to go?" Maxie asked as she pushed open the door and flounced inside. She set her purse and jacket on the chair and looked at her sister. Georgie was frowning as she studied her face in the mirror.

"I look like I was hit by a truck."

Maxie managed to hide her smile. "Well, you weren't hit by a truck, but you did take a brutal beating by your car. Though it could have been much worst. Luckily you were wearing your seatbelt." The corner of her mouth lifted slightly in a smile. "But really, you look fine."

Georgie shrugged. "Whatever. I've never been too concerned about my looks, especially as an agent." She turned away from the mirror and picked up her wool coat. She awkwardly slipped it on over her bandaged arm. Maxie hurried to help her and when she was ready, picked up the overnight bag that held all of Georgie's belongings salvaged from her crushed car.

"Just how are we getting to your house?" Georgie asked, as they walked out of the room and down the hallway toward the elevator. They stopped at the nurses' station where Elizabeth held out the release forms for her to sign. After she carefully signed the papers, they entered the elevator and waited while it descended to the first floor of the hospital.

"Spinelli's waiting with the car," Maxie replied, motioning to the dusty blue minivan where Spinelli was waiting.

Georgie goggled for a brief moment and then turned to her sister with a gleam in her eye. "A minivan?" her raised eyebrow told it all.

Maxie shrugged. "I know, I know. It's not me, but I got married and became a mom. So things changed. We do have a classier car that I drive on occasion," she said assuredly.

Georgie only nodded skeptically as Spinelli skirted the car to open the door for her. He held out his hand, which she accepted. "The Jackal's at your service, Wise Georgie."

At the familiar nickname, she smiled. "Now that's something I haven't heard in a long time." Once they were all settled in the van, Spinelli hurried to the driver's side and after getting in, started the car and drove away.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lulu Zacchara opened the over and slipped a tray of chocolate chip cookies in. closing it, she set down the oven pads and turned around with a gasp. Johnny stood in front of her with a grin on his face.

"What's up with you Sunshine?" she asked with raised eyebrows. Ducking under his arms, she slipped away and crossed the room to the stove. She stirred the pot of vegetable soup, sampling it with the spoon while she sprinkled a bit of salt over it.

"I just saw Claudia at the Metrocourt and she said that my dad had a heart attack last night," he said excitedly.

"What! Your dad had a heart attack and you are _happy_ about it?" she asked credulously, not knowing whether she should jump for joy over his news or scold him for acting so happy. After all, Anthony Zacchara hadn't exactly been the world's best father-in-law.

He shrugged. "Well, he practically disowned me when we got married. So I figured that I could at least celebrate the fact that Anthony could quite possibly die after all these years."

"Sometimes you continue to baffle me," she replied, stepping through the swinging doors to ring up a costumer who had ordered a coffee to go. Johnny watched her go and laughed to himself. She had always had a relatively good relationship with her father, even when he'd waltzed out of her life for months at a time. That being said, she sometimes failed to understand his deep set hatred for his own father.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Guess what?" Miranda Montgomery squealed as she practically skipped into the study at Wyndemere. Spencer was seated at the desk with the phone glued to his ear. Her eyes widened when she saw the phone and she put a hand over her mouth in surprise.

"Oh course…no, no, I understand. Yes, the check is in the mail as we speak. You should receive it within the week. Okay, thanks," Spencer finished and set the phone on its hook. He smiled at the happy woman in front of him.

"Sorry, business. But now I'm all yours. What happened?" he stood up and skirted around the desk, catching her in a hug. She leaned closer and drew his head down, capturing his mouth with hers. He deepened the kiss and she moaned in response. Part of her wanted the kiss to continue which would lead into other things, but the more sensible part of her knew that it was not appropriate for the moment.

So she forlornly leaned back and grinned. "Wow, you do kiss well."

He scoffed and crossed the room to the bar where a water pitcher sat. Pouring some in a glass, he took a long drink. "What's your big news Miranda?"

She smiled, her grin seeming bigger than her face. "The final tally for the money raised at the ball came in and it was way more than expected." Reaching in her purse, she pulled out a paper and held it up. He took it from her and as he read, his eyes widened.

"I didn't expect this much," he said slowly rereading the number. "That's a lot of money."

"I know, isn't it great?" Miranda replied, giving a little skip. "Six_ thousand_ dollars—all in one night. That's incredible. My mother and the other board members were very happy."

"That's really great. We did good."

She shook her head. "No, _we _did great. And I was thinking…since we did so great, we should celebrate." She lifted her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh really?" he said, grinning now. He walked around the table and stepped up to her. He hooked a hand around her waist and pulled her close. "What'd you have in mind?"

"Well…maybe we should start up the stairs." She pulled him out of the room and toward the stairs. "I think that what I have in mind shouldn't be for public viewing."

His chuckle could be heard as they climbed the stairs and rounded the hall.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Morgan stopped outside PCPD as his phone rang. Looking at the screen, he frowned. His mother. The last thing he needed was his mother cluttering his day. He and Mattie still hadn't told her about the wedding and truthfully he wasn't looking forward to it. Sighing, he flipped open the phone.

"Hi mom."

Carly's voice sounded bright and shiny. "Hi Morgan! How are you?"

"I'm good mom," he replied disdainfully. "How are you?"

"Oh I'm wonderful. Jax and I just arrived home from Hawaii. We were checking on the hotel there."

"That's nice…listen mom, I'm at work and I'm really busy." He held up his arm and studied the watch. He was five minutes late for his shift. Damn it. Lucky wouldn't be thrilled and he'd have to work later than planned.

"Oh I know, I know. I was hoping that we could get together for lunch at the hotel today. I mean—even police officers have to eat," Carly said quickly.

He frowned. "I-I…sure, that'd be great. What time?"

"How about one O'clock?"

"Sure, that'd be fine. Look mom, I really have to go. I'll see you at one," Morgan replied, hanging up the phone. He shoved it in his pocket and sprinted through the door of PCPD. As much as he would rather not have lunch with his mother, he definitely didn't want to work later than normal.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Molly was jolted out of her musings by the familiar ring of her cell phone. Reaching for it, she frowned when she read the display. Sighing, she pushed the talk button and put the phone to her ear.

"Hi Matthew."

_"Hey sweetheart, I didn't think you'd answer," Matthew replied, his voice sounding cook and distant. _

She frowned. "Why didn't you think I'd answer? Did you not want me to answer?"

_"No, no. I just thought that you'd be working and I know that you don't usually answer during the workday."_

"Oh. I see," she fingered the hem of her blouse.

_"Mol—"_

"Save it, Matthew. What are we doing? I mean, we aren't together anymore…not in the real sense."

_"Molly, what are you talking about? I love you," Matthew said, confusion lining his voice. _

"Just how much time have we spent together in the last month—no, scratch that, in the last six months? I mean—at the ball, you were late and then acted as if there was nothing wrong."

_"Molly, I love you and we can make this work," he replied quickly. _

"I love you too, but I don't think that we can make this work. I want a man wants to me with me…and doesn't go rushing home every other week," she snapped, exasperated that he was acting so dense. This conversation had been a long time coming.

_"Well I'm sorry that my family's business is important to me," he replied sarcastically, which as he had intended it to, made her feel lower than scum_.

"You know that's not what I mean, Matthew. I-we've been together for seven years. Seven years and we've not even talked about a future. I mean, I want a family someday…someday soon. And we can't even make time to go to dinner together," Molly said, hating the fact that her voice sounded full of tears.

_"You never said that you wanted kids. We never talked about it."_

At this she exploded. "Of course we never talked about it. We haven't been in the same room long enough to talk about it!"

"Fine, you want to talk about it? Let's talk about it," he said dryly.

"No. I'm tired of the dance. We just aren't working out. You are too involved in BE and I am here, in Port Charles. My career is at Crimson and yours is in Llanview. I'm sorry, it's just not going to work out. And I've been to blind to see that its never really worked out before. I'm sorry Matthew, but I have to go." She very nearly slammed the phone down and held back as she heard his last words.

"I'm sorry too Mattie…and for the record, I still love you." Then the line went dead and she let her tears fall.

Dropping the phone, she covered her face with her hands and cried, forgetting that she was sitting in the office of Crimson. Sobbing, she remembered in the distant past the goods times that she'd had with Matthew Buchanan. She remembered her plans and dreams of marrying him and having a family with him. And she mourned not only her loss, but her stupidity for spending so much time in a relationship that hadn't gone anywhere.

Opening her eyes, she remembered that she was still at work. Kate's door was closed as she jumped up to knock on it. At Kate's signal, she opened it and tried to wipe the tears from her face.

"Molly, what's wrong?" Kate asked, worriedly, getting to her feet and circling her desk.

She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. I-I need to do something. Please, can I have the rest of the afternoon off? I promise I'll make up for it tomorrow."

Kate nodded quickly, as if sensing that Molly was telling the truth. "Of course, don't worry about work. You finished almost everything today anyway. Go, its fine." She made a shooing motion with her hands. Molly waved and ran as if wolves were biting at her heels. She grabbed her purse and coat as she stabbed the elevator button.

When the door closed, she leaned against the wall and blindly punched out a familiar number. There was only one place she could think of going after what had just happened.

"Hi, it's me. Are you busy?" She was silent for a moment. "I really need to see you. I'll explain when I get there. Okay, twenty minutes."

Closing her phone just as the elevator stopped, she ran a hand over her hair in hopes of looking okay as she stepped out into the daylight.

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**Okay, this chapter gave me a little trouble, but here it is. I hope that you will continue reading and reviewing. Please don't feel too bad if Molly's storyline doesn't turn out how it sounds. I can't think of any other guy that Molly should be with so it's not a guy that Molly needed to see. Also, the scene with Lulu and Johnny was purely for comic relief. I don't know what I was doing when I wrote that scene, but I just couldn't think if anything to write about. My big problem is that I keep going back and forth between Mattie and Morgan and Georgie. So I'm trying to branch out and think of new ideas for the rest of the characters. If you have any ideas for me, please, please let me know. I really could use them. I have a little plan for Miranda and Spencer that just came to me all of a sudden. I hope that you will like it. Above all, please review and ENJOY!**


	24. Decisions that Can't be Taken back

Spinelli eased the minivan into the driveway and cut the engine. Even as he and Maxie unhooked their seatbelts and got out of the car, Georgie stayed put and goggled. She couldn't believe that this was Maxie's home. This big house with a wraparound porch and a white picket fence was her sister's house. That was enough to make her laugh.

"I can't believe that this is your house, Maxie. Where's the dog?" she asked facetiously.

Maxie turned around and gave her a bland look. "Just shut up. I told you that I changed when I got married and became a mom." She laughed as she lifted Georgie's duffle bag and hooked it over her shoulder, only to have Spinelli racing to her rescue and taking it from her.

"Hey, I can carry that," she protested but led Georgie toward the front door. She pushed it open and motioned for her sister to walk inside.

Georgie walked through the door and gaped as she looked around the house. The foyer opened into an airy living room furnished with Maxie's flair for the extraordinary. The couch and matching chairs were cream leather with burgundy throw pillows. The walls of the room were covered in modern prints and family photos. She walked up to one of the photos and studied it. She touched a hand to the picture and ran a finger down the face of the blond child.

She turned around as Maxie walked back from the kitchen. "I set your bags up in the spare bedroom, where you'll be staying," she said, frowning at the look on her sister's face. "What's wrong?"

"Are these your girls?"

Maxie smiled. "Yeah. Fiona's the one in the purple and Julia is wearing the swimsuit. That picture was taken last summer at the Fourth of July picnic. Fi's sixteen and Julia turned ten last month." She walked to the couch and sat down. "They're so excited to meet you. We haven't told them much about the whole situation other than that you are my sister. Fiona asked more questions but we weren't sure how to explain the logistics."

"If it is alright with you and she asks questions, I'll be happy to tell her some of the information. Not too much, but enough."

"I think that that would be okay. Look Georgie, I know we got off to a different start, but I'm really glad to have you back." She looked down at her lap for a moment and then back at her sister's face. "When I lost you, Robin and I became closer. But then she died and I thought I'd lost you both. So now that you're back, I really want to have what we used to have back."

Georgie sighed and came to sit next to Maxie. Angling her body so she could see Maxie's face, she took her hands. "Please don't think that I didn't want to come back."

Maxie began to speak, but Georgie held up her hand and cut her off. "No, please don't. I thought about you often, but I couldn't come back. As far as you and the state of New York were concerned, _I _was dead. There was no way to safely come back and it was better for everyone if I was dead."

"I made my choice to work for the WSB and that was that. There was no going back and I was okay with that," Georgie added as she got to her feet. "Now if you don't mind, I'm awfully tired and would like to rest before your girls come home."

"Oh oh, of course. Here, I'll take you upstairs," Maxie jumped up and led the way through the sunny kitchen and up the rounded staircase. Turning the corner at the top of the stairs, she directed Georgie into a pale blue room furnished with a white bed set and lacy curtains. Georgie turned and angled an eyebrow at her sister.

"Lace?"

Maxie shrugged. "It looked good in a guest bedroom, but, as you'll notice, there's none to be found in the rest of the house."

"Whatever. Wake me up when the girls get home okay?"

Maxie nodded as she went to the door. "Okay. I love you, Georgie," she replied, shutting it behind her.

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Morgan walked into the dining room of the restaurant at the Metrocourt. It was posh and sophisticated, almost too classy for his tastes. But it suited his mother to a tee. If there was one thing that Carly had done well in her life, it was as part owner of the hotel.

When he spotted his mother at the bar with a glass of white wine in front of her, he made his way across the room. Carly smiled when she saw him and stood up to kiss his cheek.

"Morgan! I was wondering when you'd make it."

He shrugged and sat down next to her. He signaled the bartender and ordered a soda water, as he couldn't drink on the clock. "Yeah. Um, we had a case that took longer than was expected."

"Oh that's okay. I'm just glad that you were able to get away on such short notice. I know how difficult those civil service jobs can be," Carly replied, taking a sip of her wine and studying her son over the rim. He looked _different._ Not different in the way of new clothes or a recent haircut, but different in that he looked happier or something.

He gave her a bland look that told them both that she had no idea what a civil servant did on the day-to-day basis. She shrugged and set her wine glass on the table. "So tell me, how have you been? I hardly ever get to see you. Your sisters miss you."

"Mom, when are you going to quit using that line? My sister's are sixteen and twenty-four. They are both more than old enough to come and find me when they want to see me," Morgan replied, his eyes narrowing. Carly was up to her tricks again and he could only imagine what kind of problems she would cause.

"Well, I wouldn't have to use any lines if you'd come by more often. Whenever I call you, you're always working or with that Mattie girl."

"That Mattie girl is my fian—friend," he amended quickly, glowering at her rude comments over his fiancée. "I don't appreciate you talking about her like that. I care about Mattie. I know that you know that so what I don't know is why you can't at least be civil toward her."

Her eyes narrowed. As he knew she would, she had caught that slip of the tongue. Carly Jax could be called a lot of things, but she was not an idiot. This was something that both she and her son knew to be true. "Friend? Is that all?"

Morgan hesitated. He knew that Mattie wouldn't be mad if he told his mother about their impending marriage, but knew that his mother wouldn't be happy to hear about the engagement. But Carly's face told him that he'd better explain. Sighing, he picked up his glass and took a drink.

At her frown, he set the glass on the table with a thump.

"Morgan."

"Mom."

"You have to talk eventually. What is going on?" Carly pressed, looking up as a waiter brought her salad and his Rueben sandwich.

"I proposed to Mattie on the night of the ball."

Carly's fork dropped to the plate with a clatter. Her eyes widened as she dabbed her mouth with her napkin. "Well."

Morgan frowned. "Well what?" He bit into his sandwich, buying time.

"Well, that's a bit sudden, isn't it? I wasn't expecting that" Carly replied. She took a sip of wine to calm herself.

Morgan frowned. "Really? You weren't expecting it? Come on Mom. I've only been dating Mattie for eleven years."

"I-I know. I just never knew that it was so serious," Carly protested, reaching for Morgan's hand.

He pulled away. "I can't believe that you'd say that. No, wait. I can, because you've continued to make Mattie feel like she's a criminal because you and Robin have a past." He pushed his plate away and got to his feet. Reaching for his wallet, he slapped down a few dollar bills."

"Morgan—" Carly began, but he cut her off with a flick of his hand.

"Save it mom. I don't want to hear it. I love Mattie—I love her more than anything and I'd do anything for her. I love her and we are getting married with or without your blessing. I'm sorry, I have to go. I was hoping that this would have gone better. But you can't seem to forget the past, can you?" He turned and strode out of the restaurant with Carly staring after his, mouth agape. She couldn't believe that he was marrying Mattie Drake…no, she could believe it and that made her feel lower than she'd ever felt before. There was nothing like your own child being disappointed in you.

She pushed her half-eaten salad away and stood up. She had to make this up to him. Right now, she just didn't know how. Maybe a little distraction would clear her mind. She walked out of the restaurant and toward the hotel lobby. No, there was nothing like disappointment coming from your own child.

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Kate sat down at her desk and pulled out the file. Opening it, she scanned the cover for the next issue of _Crimson_. She was quite pleased with how everything had turned out between _Crimson _and _Fusion_. But something was missing.

The model was good, Kate noted. Jenny Martin was one of the biggest and brightest stars on the runway this season. And the clothes were spectacular, after all one couldn't expect anything less from Maxie Jones. But it still needed something else.

Sighing, she dropped the paper and stood up. Muttering under her breath, she prowled the room. Kate hated the fact that even the work she loved wasn't soothing her. But on a day like today, there was little that could. Stopping suddenly, she glanced at the calendar. No, on this particular day there was little that could ease her troubled heart.

On this day, eleven years earlier, the great Sonny Corinthos had finally met his match. But fate had stepped in and destroyed Sonny's life in a far more humane way than Sonny had ever given any of his own victims. It wasn't a bullet that had killed a self-proclaimed mob boss, but a heart attack. Fate was a cruel mistress, Kate thought as she sat down at the desk and picked up the file again.

Nothing was missing from the magazine. Kate had made sure of that because she rarely made mistakes—especially in her professional life. Now her personal life as another story—a long, long story. But that wasn't relevant on a day like today. Or was it?

Kate sighed and picked up her phone. Opening her laptop, she selected the document containing the magazine and prepared to send it to the publisher. While she waited for the email to send, she dialed Jax's phone number.

_"Hello?"_

"Jax, its Kate. I just wanted to let you know that I sent the layout to the publisher," Kate said, closing her laptop when the email was sent.

_"Oh good. Hey, will you let Maxie know about the meeting next week? I want to go over the budget for this next year."_

"Sure. Look, I have to go," Kate replied, closing her phone and getting to her feet. Grabbing her purse and jacket, she calmly walked out of the door. As much as she loved her work, there was someplace else that she needed to be on a day like today.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lila closed her eyes and lay on the bed, trying to keep still. Every time she moved she felt nauseous and it already seemed that she'd vomited anything that was in her stomach. She didn't know what was wrong.

Lila Rae had nerves of steel and never got sick, so she couldn't figure out what the problem was. The moment she'd swung her feet over the bed and connected with the floor, she'd had to sprint to the bathroom; only to collapse in front of the toilet and vomit what little had been in her stomach.

After she'd finished, she'd laid by the toilet on the floor, too weak to move. Finally she'd been able to draw herself up and drag her worn out body back to bed—without even brushing her teeth! And now, here she was, too weak to even think about moving, let alone calling into work to let them know she was sick.

"Ugh, this must be some nasty stomach bug," she moaned, forcing herself to sit up. She pushed the hair out of her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew that she had to get to work. She was a self-described workaholic and nothing—not even an annoying and unfortunate stomach bug—could keep her at home.

Pushing back the covers, she cautiously slipped her feet out of the bed and onto the floor. Strangely, she felt fine now. Shrugging, she stood up and walked back to the bathroom to take a shower. It must have been something she'd eaten.

Fifteen minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom draped in a towel. She walked to her walk-in closet and skimmed through the skirts and pant suits. Finally settling on a pinstripe pant and jacket set with a heather blue blouse, she opened her dresser drawer and selected a cheetah printed pair of panties and the matching bra.

Lila slipped on the shirt and buttoned it almost to the top. Pulling the pants on, she debated on how to do her hair for the day. After she finished dressing, she walked back to the bathroom to fix her makeup and hair. Fifteen minutes later, she had flawlessly applied her makeup—ensuring that there were no signs of her previous incident with the stomach bug—and after drying it with a hairdryer, piled her hair on the top of her head with a banana clip. There, now she was ready to go and lucky that she didn't feel any repercussions from this morning's attack.

Lila tossed her dirty clothes in the hamper and vowed that she would do a load of laundry when she returned home from work that afternoon. After tidying up her room and bathroom, she raced to the kitchen.

As always, her coffee maker stood ready with coffee. But as she reached for a cup and began to pour the thick black mixture, its smell assaulted her senses and made her grab the counter for support. Waiting for the dizzy spell to pass, she washed her up and mourned the fact that there would be no caffeine this morning. Sighing, she grabbed a banana and went to collect her purse and briefcase. Hopefully she'd be able to keep that down, she thought as she locked her apartment door and started for her car.

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**Please review now! Thanks for reading! Also, let me know if you have any suggestions for possible storylines. Hope you enjoyed the update!**


	25. Unanswered Questions

Georgie sat up in bed, disoriented. At first, she couldn't remember where she was, but then she realized that she was—in Maxie's house. Wiping her eyes, she scanned the room. Earlier she'd been so tired that she hadn't taken the time to see what kind of room she was calling her own for a while.

The room was painted a pale blue with lace curtains and a bedspread that was covered in green and pink flowers. All of the furniture was a simple, old fashioned white. The whole room, it seemed to Georgie, was not the Maxie that she remembered. But, as Maxie had so put it earlier, there was not a single piece of lace to be found throughout the rest of the house.

Throwing back the light blanker covering, she swung her feet over the side and met the floor. She stood up and smoothed her hair as she walked across the room into the attached bathroom. Eyeing her reflection, she reached for her makeup bag and dabbed on some powder to hide the slowly diminishing bruises. After all, she didn't want to scare her new nieces.

When she was satisfied with her appearance, she walked back to the room and changed out of the lounge pants and sweatshirt she'd worn home from the hospital and into a pair of jeans and a pale pink sweater. Slipping her feet into a pair of slippers, she opened the bedroom door and began to wind her way down the stairs.

As she descended the stairs, she could hear voices—children's voices—which could only mean that Fiona and Julia were home.

"Girls, keep the noise down. Aunt Georgie was very tired when she came home from the hospital and she is still taking a nap," Maxie said. She was standing at the sink, rinsing a bowl. On the counter beside her stood an uncooked cake ready to be put in the oven.

"But _Mom_, she's been sleeping for _hours_," Julia whispered, as her sister kicked her underneath the table. "_Hey!"_

Fiona pulled back and turned her attention to her homework. "I didn't do anything," she replied blithely.

"Yes you did! You kicked me!" Julia said indignantly. "Mom!"

Maxie turned around from the sink. "Girls!" she moved to the stove and slipped the cake pan in the over. "Honestly, can't you _act_ like you're civilized?"

"Brings back a lot of memories, doesn't it?" Georgie commented from the bottom step. All three people turned in surprise.

"Oh Georgie, I didn't realize that you were awake," Maxie said quickly, glaring at her daughters. "Don't mind my children. Occasionally they act like human beings."

Georgie grinned and walked slowly over to the kitchen table. She dropped into a chair next to Fiona and stuck out her hand. "Hi, I'm Georgie. You must be Fiona."

Fiona shook the offered hand, slightly dazed over meeting her aunt. "H-hi. Yes, I'm Fiona."

Georgie nodded and leaned over to study the papers Fiona had spread out in front of her. "Ooh, geometry. What a pain. Do you like math?"

Fiona shrugged. "It's okay. It's kind of boring though. I already know this stuff." She picked up her pencil and held it over the paper.

"This is my daughter, the genius. Like I said, she's the picture of you at sixteen," Maxie interjected over her daughter's head.

"I am not a genius_ Mother," _Fiona muttered, standing up and gathering her papers. "I'll do it in the other room." She escaped the kitchen and ran into the living room.

Georgie stared after her. "What'd I do?" she asked Maxie, who shook her head.

"Fiona's been a little moody lately."

Julia scooted over into her sister's vacated seat. "Hi! I'm Julia. I'm in fourth grade!"

Georgie smiled. "Well hello. I'm very pleased to meet you." She held out a hand to the little girl, who shook it with the strength of a ten year old.

"I'm really glad that you came home. Mommy's really happy now," Julia replied, with the frank innocent that only a child could muster.

Georgie was taken aback for a moment, but recovered quickly. "Well I'm really glad to be home too." Julia flashed her newfound aunt a wide grin and raced out of the room after her sister.

Georgie looked up at Maxie, who was wiping the tears from her eyes. "I _am _glad to be home."

"I know." Maxie turned away for a moment to check her cake. She then stood in front of the sink, looking out over the pristine back yard.

Georgie sighed and came to stand behind her sister. "You're really lucky, you know? Perfect husband, great kids, spectacular house and a wonderful, fulfilling career. Hold onto that; because you'll never know how lucky you are until it's gone."

Maxie turned around but Georgie was already walked toward the living room. She could hear her sister laughing with her daughter over something on the television. As much as that sound was so wonderful, something about Georgie's last comment made her worry. Just how much did she know her sister? After all, thirty years was a long time—an entire lifetime. What kind of turns had Georgie's life taken? Maxie felt that she needed to find out what had gone on in the years between Georgie's 'death' and return.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lila's head shot up from her desk as the phone rang in her ear. Slightly fuzzy, she fumbled for the phone. "Hello?"

_"Lila? Are you okay?" _

Alexis' voice cleared Lila's brain very quickly. "Oh, yes. Sorry, I-I was…reading my emails. You know, it's pretty monotonous," she managed, using her free hand to push her hair out of her face. "Can I help you?"

_"Yes, but I would rather do it face to face. Are you free this afternoon?" _

Lila glanced up at the clock on the wall. "Sure, what time?"

_"Two-thirty would work for me_."

"Okay. Two-thirty. That will work. Bye Alexis," Lila replied, replacing the phone. As she did, her stomach rumbled. Obviously the banana she'd eaten for breakfast after her incident hadn't lasted. Well, the clock did say ten to noon. Why not start lunch a little early? And right now, potato soup from Kelly's sounded really great.

Lila stood up and walked to her coat rack. She shrugged her wool jacket over her arms and grabbed her purse. Moments later, she was walking out of her door and toward the elevator.

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Molly rounded the corner and leaned against the building wall in defeat. She was exhausted. After her phone call with Matthew which had resulted in a screaming match, she was so, so tired. Sighing, she pulled herself together and focused on making her way to Kelly's.

At least she was hungry, she thought as she pulled open the door and dragged herself inside.

But when she saw one of her best friends, a certain red-headed spitfire of a lawyer, sitting in the corner table, her mood perked up instantly. Grinning, she strode over to Lila's table.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Lila looked up, dazed. "W-what? Oh sure." She waved her hand in an answer.

Molly dropped into the appointed chair and frowned. "Lila? Are you alright?"

Lila didn't answer. She stared at her bowl of beef vegetable soup as if expecting it to grow legs and walk across the table. She lifted the spoon and watched the broth drip off it aimlessly.

"Lila?" Molly reached out and took the spoon from Lila's hand and moved it and the bowl to the other end of the table. "Lila, snap out of it!"

Lila jumped and lifted her face up to Molly's. "Sorry," she replied sheepishly.

Molly shook her head. "No, no. Don't tell me sorry. Tell me what's wrong. You are quite possibly the sharpest tack in the box called Port Charles."

Lila shrugged and took a sip of the water she'd ordered. "I don't know. I've felt weird all day today."

"Weird?" Molly pressed. "Weird how?" She looked up as Lulu came toward their table.

"Hi Molly, how are you today?" Lulu asked, her pen poised over the little notepad reserved for taking orders.

Molly smiled brightly. "I'm fine, you?" As she spoke, she eyed Lila's face, which had become withdrawn again.

"I'm good. What can I get you?"

Molly looked back to Lulu's smiling face. "I'll have a half a turkey sandwich, light mayo, wheat bread. And a cup of your daily soup—oh—and an iced tea."

"Coming right up," Lulu replied, before turning away toward the kitchen.

Molly turned her attention back to her friend. "Okay, now you have to tell me what's wrong?"

Lila shook her head. "I honestly don't know. When I woke up this morning I barely made it to the bathroom before I was violently sick. Molly, you know me. I'm _never _sick. I can't remember the last time I was sick. And then, the smell of coffee made me nauseous."

Molly raised an eyebrow. She had her suspicions. But she couldn't remember a time when Lila had been so dense. "Lila? Really? You don't have any suspicions?"

Lila frowned and shook her head. "No…what did you have in mind?" She took another sip of her water.

"Are you late?" It was said so bluntly that Lila didn't have time to react.

"Late? No…I don't have to be back at work until two o'clock. I have a meeting with Alexis," Lila replied flatly, reaching for her soup bowl.

Molly cocked her head. Seriously? Was Lila really this dense? She clearly needed a wake up. "No. Late, as in late-late."

"L-late?" her voice faltered as her eyes widened. "Oh-oh. You mean late late. OH MY GOD." She jumped up and grabbed her coat and purse. "Oh—I have to go!" without waiting for an answer, she burst out of the restaurant in a full blown sprint.

Molly stared after her for a brief second, debating on what to do. Sighing, she reached for her coat and bag before calling to Lulu. "Lulu, can you make mine a to-go. I'll be back to get it in a little while."

Lulu appeared behind the cash register. "Oh—okay. Where's Lila?"

Molly shook her head. "I don't know, but rest assured, I will find out." She turned and hurried out after her friend.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Disregarding her brand new heather blue cashmere coat and the hardened snow-covered ground, Kate sank down in front of the bright marbled headstone. She ran her gloved fingers over the engraved words.

_Michael Corinthos Junior_

As much as she'd loved him, she had despised him. No, she corrected herself, not him, but his chosen profession. She had loved him…once upon a time. She'd loved the man he'd been in Bensonhurst. But when he'd left, he'd changed and he was a totally different man when she'd met him again.

No matter what he'd given her—and taken away, she'd loved him. But even now, she mourned his fateful death. Kate sighed and leaned back to study the single stone which commemorated Sonny's memory.

"I don't know why I come here. Every year, I come and think the very same things. But I can't cry over you. I couldn't when you left me in Bensonhurst and I couldn't when you died."

Shaking her head, she got to her feet. "No matter what my head reasons, my heart still does. It's ridiculous and a waste of time. But, no matter how much I reason, I still do."

With a war waging in her head and her heart, she walked away from the one man she'd truly loved—even if it had been only for a short time in the distant past. Kate didn't know how to react to feelings as foreign to her as the idea of loving a mobster.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie walked up to the Maxie's front door. She had been nearly finished with her shift when her cousin had called asking her to come over and discuss wedding plans. She had almost told her that today wasn't a good day, but truth be told, she'd wanted to see Georgie again.

So here she was, under the pretense of wedding plans, but intending to grill her newly found aunt on the past thirty years. Mattie sighed and rang the doorbell. She didn't really want to plan a wedding. It wasn't that she didn't want to get married, because she did, very much so. But she'd almost made the suggestion that they elope to Vegas.

Though she was smart enough to keep that thought from Maxie's hearing range. If Maxie knew that Mattie had even considered eloping, she'd have her head.

Mattie was knocked out of her musings when the door opened. Julia stood in the doorway, grinning.

"Hi Aunt Mattie!" she said, opening the door wider so Mattie could enter.

"Hi sweet pea! how was school?"

Julia wrinkled her nose, telling her aunt wordlessly exactly what she thought of spending six hours, five days a week closeted in a classroom.

Mattie laughed and ruffled the little girl's blond hair. "It'll get better my friend." Sliding past her niece, she walked down the hallway toward the kitchen where she heard her aunt's trilling laughter.

"Well it looks as though this is the place to be," she called, announcing herself to the two women seated at the kitchen table, each nursing a glass of wine. Maxie jumped up and enveloped Mattie in a hug, before drawing her to one of the empty chairs.

"I'm glad you're here," she said, kissing Mattie's cheek. "How 'bout some wine? It's red—your favorite?"

Mattie sighed and dropped into the chair. She ran a hand through her hair and shrugged her shoulders. "What the hell? It was a hectic day. I had a little boy brought in with an unexplainable fever. He'd seen two specialists and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I ran some tests and found out that he has allergies. Thank you," she said to Maxie who handed her a glass of wine.

"But he's okay now?" Maxie asked, taking a seat next to Georgie.

She nodded and took a small sip of the wine, letting the flavor meld in her mouth. "But I got him on antibiotics and he should be fine in a week or two. But it was touch and go for a while."

"Your job sounds very interesting," Georgie said quietly, as if unsure as whether she could contribute to the conversation.

Mattie turned and faced her aunt. "Oh yes, it has its moments. But mine is trivial compared yours…it would seem."

Georgie paused as if deciding what to say to the previous statement. "Yes, my job in very exciting, but it can be a rat race sometimes. I'm currently on vacation. It's the first one in more than fifteen years."

"Wow, I can't imagine not taking a vacation," Maxie said, then turned her attention to Mattie. "So, have you set a date yet?"

Mattie shrugged. "I think so. We are thinking January 5th."

Maxie's eyes widened. "What! This January fifth? As if one week after New Years?"

Mattie nodded. "Sure, we don't want a big wedding or anything. Just our family and friends at Queen of Angels and then a reception at the Metrocourt." She took a sip of her wine and shot a bland look at Georgie over the rim of her glass.

"See what I have to put up with? Maxie is a little much. Was she this obsessive when the two of you were young?"

Before Georgie could answer, Maxie cut her off. "Don't answer that," she ordered, glaring at her sister.

Mattie laughed while Maxie brushed past the comment. "_Anyway,_ we really need to talk about this wedding. Surely you don't want to wait until the spring—or the summer. A June wedding would be so nice. You'd look very pretty in pastels."

Mattie gave her aunt a look that feigned being violently sick. "I think not. Besides, I don't want an extended engagement. I already do that I love him—after all I've loved him since I was a little girl. So why wait? I want to be married now."

"Pardon me, but I've been out of the loop for a really long time. Who exactly are you engaged to?" Georgie asked. She'd been pretty quiet for the main part of the conversation.

Mattie turned and smiled. "I'm marrying Morgan Corinthos-Jax."

"Really? Carly and Sonny's son?"

"That's what I said," Maxie murmured. She took a sip of wine and studied her niece. For the first time in a very long time—since Robin's death—Mattie looked happy. Really and truly happy.

"That's very nice that you've found someone special," Georgie smiled and replied quietly.

"What about you, Georgie?" Mattie asked quietly, which had Maxie's attention. Georgie glanced at her questioningly.

"What?"  
"Did you ever have someone special?" Mattie pressed further.

Georgie stood up and walked to the window, partially to buy herself time and partially to figure out how to answer.

Finally she looked back. "I-I did love once. But I made a mistake and it cost me that love." She closed her mouth and turned back toward the window. Mattie and Maxie looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Clearly, Georgie didn't want to talk.

Mattie sighed and got to her feet. "Okay, I should be going. I have a long list of chores to do at home. It's my turn to do the laundry. Thanks for the wine and the conversation," she directed toward Maxie. "Enjoy planning my wedding and let me know if you actually need my help."

Maxie waved her hand. "No, no. I'm good. I will give you the best wedding on the fifth of January. All you have to do is show up. But I will call you about dress fittings." She came up and hugged Mattie to her. "I'll see you later."

"Thanks Aunt Maxie. Bye Georgie." With a wave, she slipped on her coat and scarf and walked out the front door.

As she walked toward her car, she went back over Georgie's answer. She knew that Georgie and Dillon Quartermaine had been an item back in the day, so maybe Georgie's mistake had been losing Dillon. But what if it wasn't? She wondered how much Maxie knew. Something told her that Georgie had a lot of explaining to do. But she did know that any explanation would take time—a long, long time.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________


	26. What is this World Coming to?

Maxie shut the door behind Mattie, but stayed where she was. She needed a moment to reconvene, to figure out how to proceed. After Georgie's words of love lost proved to Maxie just how much time she'd lost with her sister. After all, no matter how much she didn't want to believe it, thirty years was a very long time.

She sighed and turned around, heading for her seat. Georgie stayed where she was sitting on the couch and with her eyes closed, said nothing. She too knew what was coming.

Finally Maxie couldn't handle the silence anymore. But before she could say anything, Georgie jumped up from the couch and bolted from the room. Maxie closed her eyes as Georgie raced blindly up the stairs.

There was nothing she could do to retrieve those lost years, Maxie knew. But some part of her wished that her sister would at least open up and tell her of the last three decades.

Upstairs, behind the privacy of her closed door, Georgie threw herself on the bed, burying her face in the cool cotton. There was no way that she would be able to tell her sister of the tragedy that had cost her a chance at love. Not now anyway. Not when it was so fresh.

Georgie let the tears fall as she pulled herself up into a half-sitting position. Pushing her hair out of her face, she drew herself to her feet and shuffled across the hardwood floor to the dresser. Opening the top drawer, she pulled out a small fabric covered box. As far as she was concerned, her whole life could fit in this one tiny box.

She opened it and pulled out the first paper. It was a picture, a grainy photograph that was as precious to her as any gemstone she'd ever held. In the photo, a child grinned and waved at the camera as she held tight to the chains of a swing. The man in front of her was pushing the swing higher and higher. Everyone looked so happy.

Georgie's tears fell harder now, making the picture wet and foggy as tiny drops rained down over the joyous faces. She pressed the photograph to her lips, kissing it before casting it aside.

The next photograph was a shiny professional one. Under the rose covered arbor, a happy couple stood, hands gripped, golden wedding bands glistening in the soft summer sun. The bride, a tall brunette, looked happy dressed in a long white gown that billowed out in the small Hawaiian breeze. Her new husband, a dark and broody Italian, smiled as if he'd just received the sun and the stars on a silver platter. Nothing could have dampened their wreaths of smiles.

As she placed the photo aside, Georgie briefly wished for a chance to relive that happy day.

She picked out another photo. It was of an older girl, a tall olive-skinned brunette, with her mother's blue eyes. Even though she was nearly grown, some part of her still resembled that happy child on the swing. The girl stood in a leotard next to a row of mirrors. She leaned gracefully against a _barre, _her eyes dancing as she raised her hands above her head. Even though it wasn't in the photo, Georgie knew exactly what came next. In her mind's eye, she replayed that scene over and over again. The girl would glide away from the _barre_, her hands in a circle over her head, jumping and twirling in an intricate pattern. Georgie could hear the music, a ballet by Tchaikovsky—the girl's favorite.

But she knew that life didn't give re-dos. Love truly was once in a lifetime. She had taken it for granted and before she'd known it, her happiness had been stolen right out from under her. If there was one thing that life had taught her, it was that happiness can't be taken lightly.

Georgie gently replaced the photos, except for the one of the graceful dancer. No, that photo deserved a place of honor, she thought, placing the photo on her nightstand. Now the girl, her angel could keep watch over her. Georgie stood up and put the box away in her dresser—to be taken out at another time.

She walked to the bathroom, splashing water on her face to eradicate the signs of tears. If life had taught her another very important lesson, it was that you can't get rid of the evitable by avoiding it; you just had to look the problems in the face, even when it was one of the hardest things you'd ever done.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_No, no. it can't be. I can't be p-pregnant, _Lila thought as she ran toward the docks. The words continued through her head, even as she wished that Molly could take them back. There was no way, was there?

Lila dropped to the bench and covered her face with her hands as Molly rounded the corner.

"Lila!"

Lila looked up at her friend, shame blooming in her face. "Go away, Molly."

Molly skidded to a stop and stared at Lila Rae. "Go away? Why?"

"I don't really want to face the truth," Lila murmured, covering her face again.

Molly gave a small smile and sat down next to her friend. "So, could it be true?"

"Yes," Lila said, her voice muffled making it sound far away.

Molly's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Lila to give in so easily. "Are you pregnant?"

Lila raised her head. "I don't know for sure, but it could be true. Cameron and I have slept together several times."

"Oh Lila," Molly said sympathetically. She pulled her friend close. "Is it a good or bad thing?"

Lila closed her eyes. Truthfully she didn't know how to feel about it. Was the possibility of a baby with Cameron good or bad? She laid a hand on her stomach, wondering what kind of mother she would be.

Molly pulled away and got to her feet, pulling Lila with her. "Well, we can't be kept in the dark. You might as well know if there is a possibility or not."

"I don't know if I can go buy a test and actually take it," Lila said. She already felt nauseous. If this was how she felt now, what was the next nine months going to feel like?

Molly smiled. "I know. That's why you have me. Come on. We'll go buy a test." She gripped Lila's arm and led her away from the docks and toward the drug store."

Twenty minutes later, Molly had purchased the test, led a submissive Lila back to the courthouse and waited while she peed on the plastic stick. Now they had to wait another three minutes. Molly sat on the counter in the women's restroom while Lila paced back and forth.

_I can't be pregnant, I can't be pregnant_, Lila thought as she paced. The words ran through her head again, even though she knew that there was a distinct possibility of the latter.

"Lila!" Molly barked, wincing when the woman's head snapped up wildly. She hadn't meant to sound so forceful. "Sorry, but your pacing is making _me_ sick."

Lila stopped and leaned against the wall. Aimlessly, she glanced at her watch. Her eyes widened. "Oh my god, I'm supposed to meet Alexis right now." She reached for the door, but Molly pushed it shut before she could open it.

"No, Lila. You can't go until we find out if you are pregnant or not," she pulled Lila back into the restroom.

Lila sighed and allowed herself to be pulled to the sink. "_Fine,_" she mumbled.

"It will be okay, you know. Even if you are pregnant," Molly said, glancing at her watch. They had, by her calculations, forty-five seconds before the test was ready.

Lila shook her head. "It won't be okay. I'm a workaholic. I'm in an off and on relationship, which by the way, seems more off than on." She pulled away from Molly and began pacing again.

"It _will _be okay. You would be an excellent mother and with time, Cameron will be a good father."

Lila shrugged and felt her stomach clutch as Molly eyed her watch again. "I can't look at it. You do it."

Molly took a deep breath, nodding as she reached for the stick. Lila turned away, unable…or unwilling to look at the results. "Okay," Molly replied, holding the test up and squinting at the results.

For the first time in her life, Lila felt the need to pray. She didn't know who she was praying to, but by mumbling some random words, she felt that someone or something was listening.

When Molly was silent for several long seconds, Lila turned around and stared at her. "Well?"

Molly looked up at Lila. "It's positive."

Lila's breath came out in a whoosh. "Wow." She reached for the stick and stared at it, as if hoping that Molly's eyesight was off.

Molly bit her lip. "Oh Lila." She reached over and put her arms around her friend. "Should I be sorry?"

"I don't know," Lila replied truthfully. She put a hand on her stomach. "I don't know how to feel. I can't believe that I'm actually pregnant."

"What are you going to do now?" Molly whispered. She gently kissed Lila's temple.

Lila took a deep breath. "Well, right now I'm going to go to my meeting. As for this baby, I can't deal with it right now. Thanks for helping me. I'll call you later," she said, hugging Molly and picking up her bag. With a wave, she pulled open the door and calmly walked out of the bathroom.

Molly stared after her friend in disbelief. How could Lila be so calm? She'd just found out that she was pregnant and she was worried about a business meeting with the DA? Then it occurred to her. Lila was avoiding the fact that she was pregnant. As long as she didn't think about it, then it wouldn't be true, Molly realized. Well, she clearly needed help and Molly knew that she couldn't do it alone.

She picked up her bag and coat. She needed to get back to _Crimson_. As she walked out of the restroom and made her way toward the front door, she dialed Mattie's number.

"Mattie? It's Molly. I need your help…"

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie pushed back her hair as she hauled the vacuum cleaner out of the hall closet. She'd been home for only two hours, but was already more than half done with her cleaning spree. Sarah would be pleased; Mattie thought as she plugged the cord into the wall and pushed the power button.

She pushed and pulled the vacuum throughout the apartment. Because she and Sarah split cleaning duty, they had both agreed that their own rooms weren't to be cleaned by the other person. Mattie kept her own room very clean, considering she spent next to no time in it. Being a doctor meant that she had virtually signed away her life to the hospital.

On the other hand, Sarah's room was very unkempt. It wasn't dirty or trash-filled—even Sarah had to draw the line somewhere—but it had clothes thrown haphazardly and a usually unmade bed. But it was all Sarah. And Mattie didn't care how her personal room looked as long as she kept up her end of the bargain with cleaning the rest of the apartment.

Mattie finished vacuuming the bedroom and flipped off the power switch. As she did, the sound of fists pounding on the door rang through the apartment. She sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear. Glancing in the mirror to check her appearance, she made her way into the foyer to answer it.

"Okay, okay," she murmured, turning the lock and pulling the door open. She was surprised to see Carly Corinthos Jax standing outside.

"Carly?" she frowned and leaned again the doorjamb. "What do you want?"

Carly hesitated, something that Mattie had never seen before. "Hi Mattie."

Mattie raised an eyebrow, mentally preparing herself for a verbal lashing from Carly. "Hi Carly. Can I help you with something? Morgan's not here."

Carly shook her head. "No, no. I just wanted to talk to you. C-can I come in?"

"Sure," Mattie replied, skeptically. She stepped aside so Carly could enter. Carly walked around the short wall to the living area. She sat on the couch while Mattie took the arm chair.

"I had lunch with Morgan today," Carly began. She looked down at her clasped hands, but then realized how out of character she sounded. Finally she knew that she just had to get to the point.

"Okay…"

"Morgan told me that you two are engaged. I was very surprise and said a few rude things about you. Morgan became understandably agree and stormed out. I realized how disappointed he was in me and that I couldn't live with that. So that it why I'm here—to tell you that I will not give you any more lip. While your mother and I had a strenuous relationship, it isn't your fault. I hope that you will forgive me." Carly replied briskly, getting to her feet. She walked to the door but turned back to a very surprised Mattie.

"I love my son and I always told myself that I would love whomever my son fell in love with. Obviously you make him happy, so I will get to know you," Carly said, opening the door and shutting it behind her.

Mattie stayed where she was and stared. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. If she hadn't seen it with her very own eyes, she wouldn't have believed it. Carly had just admitted that she had been very rude to Mattie for the last nine years.

What was this world coming to?

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**Okay, so how was this chapter? I gave you a little hint as to Georgie's past in the first section. Kudos to the first person who can guess the man in the second picture. Please review. I love to read my reader's reactions to my story. By my calculations, there will be at least ten more chapters. My goal is to make it to forty chapters. Please review, but above all ENJOY!**


	27. World of Denial

Mattie replaced the vacuum cleaner in a fog. She was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. Never in her life had she heard of Carly freely admitting her wrongdoings. _There must be something severely wrong with her_, Mattie thought as she walked back to the kitchen. Maybe she should alert Jax incase he needed to take her to the hospital for tests.

She couldn't help but laugh though. It was too funny that it had taken nine years for Carly to admit that Morgan was really that serious about Mattie. _Oh well_, Mattie thought, drawing the kettle for tea, _at least she would be civil should they ever come into contact. _

As she turned the burner on high, another knock sounded at the front door. "Just a second!" Mattie called to no one in particular. She knew that the person on the other side of her door couldn't hear her, but it was a formality.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming!" she said, pulling open the door and smiling when she was met with Molly's face. "Hi!"

Molly smiled and pushed past Mattie. "Hi Mattie. Sorry to bother you, but I have a major crisis. Well, I don't have the crisis, but one of our dearest friends do. And I need your help before it is blown out of proportion," she finished, half out of breath.

Mattie grinned and followed Molly into the living room where Molly sat on the arm chair and she on the couch. "Okay, calm down. What is the crisis and who does it involve. It can't be Sarah because I live with her so any major crisis of hers would be very much known here. Also it couldn't be—"

"Lila Rae's pregnant," Molly broke in, cutting off Mattie's next thought.

Mattie stopped short, her mouth wide open. "What?"

"Lila's pregnant. She just found out today."

"Oh My God. Is she freaking out?" Mattie still had difficulty wrapping her mind around the news.

Molly shook her head. "No, she's not. And that's the problem. She's really calm, scary calm."

"What do you mean?" Mattie asked, standing up when she heard the tea kettle whistle. "Hold that thought. Do you want a cup of tea?" she called, walking toward the kitchen.

"Yes, that would be nice!" Molly called.

Moments later, Mattie reappeared with a tray filled with a pale blue teapot and matching cups alongside a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Once she poured the two of them cups and set a cookie out for each of them, she sat down to face Molly again.

"You baked as well as cleaned today?" Molly asked as her eyebrow rose.

Mattie took her seat and tried to frown disapprovingly. "No silly, I stopped by Kelly's on my way home. I visited with Maxie and—the girls—about wedding plans right after work," she replied, mad at herself for nearly mentioning Georgie. She knew that no one had really told the general public about Georgie, so she figured that it was better to withhold that information—even with one of her best friends.

"Oh, well you can't go wrong with Kelly's. Anyway, Lila just went off to her afternoon meeting as if nothing happened. I mean, she just went about her normal day. And she'd just seen the positive test!" Molly replied, taking a sip of her tea.

Mattie nodded, beginning to understand. "Well, it seems that she's in denial. And you know Lila, she would live in denial permanently if she could."

"I know and that's why I'm worried. I mean she didn't even acknowledge that she was pregnant. And I practically had to take the test myself to get her to even pee on the stick. She said that she had morning sickness this morning but it didn't occur to her that maybe she was pregnant until I asked if she was late," Molly replied.

"How late is she?" Mattie asked, her medical training kicking in.

"She didn't say, but I would assume maybe three or four weeks."

"Well, professionally speaking, we need to convince her to come to the hospital so I can do a physical exam and a pregnancy test. The home tests are pretty reliable but there's always a five percent chance of a false positive. So she should get a blood test," Mattie replied.

"Well that's the problem. She didn't even act as if she realized that she was pregnant. So I need your help to convince her," Molly said.

"Okay, but what _can _we do. I mean, Lila has to make up her own mind. She had to deal with the fact that she is pregnant," Mattie reasoned. She reached for the teapot and refilled both hers and Molly's cups.

"I don't know. But we need to try." Molly glanced at the clock which read four thirty. "She's probably done for the day. Or close to it. Why don't we call her for an intervention?"

Mattie sighed. Why did she let her friends talk her into wild plans? Because she was a good friend, that's why. "Okay, call her up. I'll help you with Lila's reality check."

Molly smiled and clapped her hands. "Wonderful." She reached for her cell phone and dialed Lila's number.

"Hi, Lila? It's Molly. Are you busy tonight? Of course not. Okay, um, Mattie and I want to talk to you. How about we meet you at your apartment in an hour? We'll bring dinner. Okay, okay. See you then. Bye," Molly finished, closing her phone and smiling at Mattie. "Okay, now we have to break Lila."

"I hope that you know what you are doing," Mattie said, standing up and gathering the cups and plates and taking them to the kitchen.

"Oh don't worry. Lila will be perfectly fine. We'll make sure of it," Molly said definitely. She truly hoped that that would be the case. Was she doing the right thing? Was interfering in Lila's life okay? She could only hope so.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"I don't know what happened," Maxie was saying to Spinelli as she bustled around the kitchen starting dinner. "We were just visiting with Mattie, talking about the wedding preparations—she has no plans, by the way—and when Mattie asked Georgie if she'd ever had someone special, she just froze up and gave another cryptic answer. And then, after Mattie left, Georgie just bolted from the room in tears."

Spinelli sighed and pulled his head from the inside of the refrigerator. He was disappointed to find out that Maxie had failed to buy orange soda this week. Although he mostly given up his Jackal persona, he still retained his love for the carbonated sunshine-colored drink. He settled for bottled water and dropped into the kitchen chair to study his wife.

Maxie wore her age well. Even after nearly twenty years of marriage, she still looked much the same as she had when he'd first met her. And what she'd lost with time, she made up in her quick wit. Some had thought her the inspiration for the blond joke generation, but she had proved to have a keen sense of fashion and business that made those doubtful people believers in her talent.

Although he had always known that she had the ability and ambition to achieve her dreams.

Maxie turned around from the stove and glared at him, bringing him out of his state of musings. "_Well,_ what do you think? Or are you just going to sit there and brood?"

"As I've said before, thirty years is a long time. Georgie had an entire lifetime without you. We don't know what went on in those years. You have to give her time to process. _You _need to process what has happened. Maxie, you just found out that your sister—the one you believed was dead, the one you saw dead—is alive and has been for the last thirty years. You just need to give her time."

Maxie sighed and walked to the seat across from him. "I wish you weren't right. I just want to forget that I lost thirty years with my sister. But it all comes back to that. The fact that she lived a whole life without me. And I just can't get past it."

He put his hand over hers and she smiled. "I love you Maxie. And Georgie loves you too. In time, she will be able to tell you what happened. But right now we just have to wait. Don't focus on her right now. Just give her time. Focus your attention on your designs and Mattie's wedding. Just give her time," he repeated.

"Oh Spinelli, what would I do without you?" she said, coming around the table to drop a kiss on his lips before walking back to the stove to stir the spaghetti sauce.

"I pray we never have to find out."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Miranda crept down the stairs into the foyer. She had left Spencer sleeping in the bed upstairs. Even though it was early evening, she knew that Spencer hadn't been getting much sleep lately. Well, neither of them had really. And it wasn't all about the crazy lovemaking. No, they both had been stressed out over the benefit ball. And what a success that ball had been.

Regardless, she needed to get outside. The December sun was setting over the bay as she made her way out the front door and down the swept path toward the stables. Snow covered every available surface, glistening in the pinks and purples of the setting sun. She pulled on the heavy stable door and slipped in. The smell of hay and horses overcame her. That had to be her favorite smell in the whole world.

She smiled and reached in her pocket, drawing out a bright red apple. "Here Geronimo, look what I brought you," she said in that high pitched voice reserved for small children and pets. She held the treat in front of the giant black gelding who craned his neck. "Here, you big oaf, have at it."

"How dare you insult my horse," a voice from the doorway said. Miranda turned around and held her hands up. Spencer strolled into the barn, hands in the pockets of his comfortably worn jeans.

"I was _not _insulting Geronimo. I was simply bringing him a treat," she replied shortly, a smile tickling her lips.

"Sure, you weren't. Besides, you spoil him. I can almost assure you that he has already gotten many treats today," Spencer said, coming toward her and wrapping his arms around her waist. She smiled and leaned over to rub the silky nose of the horse in question.

"I don't care. He is such a good horse, that I can't resist."

"Obviously," he replied dryly, pushing her against the stall door and covering her lips with his.

As he deepened the kiss, she closed her eyes and tried to gain control. She pushed him back. "No, Spence. We can't do it here. The horse—the horse will react with the smell of it in the air."

He sighed and pulled back. "Okay, well, how about we go back into the house."

Miranda grinned. "Oh—okay. Why don't we? But the desert portion of our evening might have to wait. I'm _starving._ Do you think that Cook with make our favorites?" she pulled him toward the door and together they walked back up the snowy pathway toward what some would call their future.

But Spencer and Miranda would have simply called it the here and now.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lila Rae walked out of Alexis' office in a daze. Truthfully, she had no idea what had gone on during the meeting. She had been out of it the entire time. And she could only hope that she's sounded convincing and that Alexis hadn't noticed.

Walking back down the hallway toward her own office, she pushed the door open and dragged herself across to the desk. A glance at the clock told her that it was three thirty. Even though she really should work for another couple of hours, she knew that there was no way she would be able to actually work.

She dropped into the chair and closed her eyes. She'd never felt worse in her life. She'd felt better earlier, when she hadn't known. But now, she wished there was some deep dark hole that she could crawl in and die.

_Damn nosy best friend,_ Lila thought to herself. If Molly hadn't insisted that she take a test, Lila could have spent more time being none the wiser. But now that she knew, she had to face the music. And strangely enough, that music sounded way to close to a lullaby.

Lila put a hand on her stomach, her still flat stomach. She couldn't imagine that she was actually pregnant. Somewhere inside her, a baby was growing. Her baby. Jake's baby.

She vaguely wondered if toes and fingers had developed. But somewhere in her deep, dark past, she recalled a health lesson on the development of babies. Her baby was probably the size of a grain of rice…or smaller.

_Oh God, _she would have to tell Jake. Lila couldn't imagine having _that_ conversation with him. Hi, guess what? I'm pregnant with your child. In about seven months, you're going to be a daddy.

Lila shook her head. She did not want to even approach him with that topic. He'd probably run for the hills. What kind of mess had she gotten herself into?

She glanced at the clock on her wall. She figured that Molly had already called in reinforcements and was planning to bring in the troops very soon. That was how Lila rolled. She was always ready to help a friend in need. Lila decided to just wait for her friends to come before she left for work.

Lila leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. One perk of impending motherhood appeared to be sleepiness. And she was always willing to take a nap. She might as well get a little sleep in while she had the time.

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**Enjoy! Please review! Also add suggestions if you have any! Thanks! Review!**


	28. My Sister's Daughter

Bree shifted in her seat and blinked her eyes. They felt gritty as if they'd had sand in them. A glance at the clock told her that she'd been at it for nearly three hours. She hadn't meant to spend so much time in front of the computer, but when she'd received the photos from a colleague requesting her assistance, she hadn't been able to decline.

So much for her vacation.

She didn't care for vacation that much anyway. She'd always believed that people who wanted to take vacation must not _really _like their jobs. Which had never been the case for her; she had always loved being a government agent. It was exciting and exhausting all at the same time.

But right now, she knew that she would scream if she looked at another crime scene photo. Sighing, she closed down the screen and logged off the program before snapping her laptop shut. She stood up and stretched, working the muscles that had sat idle for so long. Her stomach rumbled as she stretched, forcing her to wander into the kitchen in search of a snack.

Her mother was sitting at the kitchen table looking when she rounded the corner into the bright, airy kitchen. Jess looked up as Bree walked to the counter and grabbed an apple. Crunching on it, she sat across from her mother.

"What are you doing?"

Jessica shrugged, but pushed the book toward her daughter. "Oh nothing, just reminiscing. I was looking at pictures of you when you were little. When you are away, I forget how grown up you are."

Bree looked down for a moment. "_Mom_." But she pulled the book closer and studied a photo of her father. He was holding her on his knee and she was giggling, a smile from ear to ear. Try as she might, she had no real memories of Nash Brennan. When she'd been younger it had made her angry that she couldn't remember him; but now, she was simply sad that she'd never gotten the chance to have a relationship with him.

"It's true. When you are away, I forget that you aren't my little girl anymore. But when I see you, I remember how fast those years went by," Jessica protested. She pointed to a photo. "This was taken just a few months before Nash died. He was so proud of you, of what you would become."

"When I was little, I'd try and imagine what it would be like if he'd been there. I can't say that there was a void in my life because I didn't know a time when he was there. But I would see all the other girls with their dads and think that that was how it would be if he hadn't died," Bree replied, turning the page to other photos in a seemingly chronological order.

Jessica stood up and sighed. "I wasn't a very good mother to you when you were little. I was sick, but I got better and tried to make up for it. Perhaps I wasn't good enough."

Bree frowned. "No, no. Mom." She stood up and walked to her mother, hugging her shoulders. "No. you were a great mother. I know that those first few years after Nash's death and when the truth about Julia came out was hard for you. But you were a great mother."

"That's nice to hear, sweetheart. I love you." Jess turned around and hugged her daughter close. Sometimes love had to be enough.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Georgie crept down the stairs. It was long past dinner and she'd already heard Maxie tuck her girls into bed. But she hadn't been able to work up the courage to face her sister until now. Not after her sudden outburst when Mattie had left.

Georgie didn't know how to explain her life to her sister. She'd loved and lost so much that it seemed impossible to try and make Maxie understand it.

But she couldn't hide up in her bedroom forever.

She rounded the corner and started into the living room—where Maxie and Spinelli sat, watching some nighttime drama. She cleared her throat, announcing herself. They both looked up in surprise.

"Georgie. Are you alright?" Maxie asked worriedly.

Georgie looked down for a moment.

Spinelli stood up and kissed his wife. "Well, I think that I'll go up to bed—leave you two to talk. I love you Maximista." As he passed Georgie by the stairs, he paused. "I'm really glad you're home, faithful friend."

Maxie waited until she'd heard him round the corner and walk down the hallway toward their bedroom. She flipped off the television and motioned to the couch across from her chair.

Georgie dutifully sat, wringing her hands. She hated confrontations. No matter how long she'd been a WSB or how many interrogations she'd been a part of, she still hated confrontations. She sighed, knowing that Maxie didn't care for awkward silence.

"I don't know what to say," she said finally.

"Well that makes two of us," Maxie smirked, immediately angry at herself for snapping. An attitude was not was Georgie needed. "I think that you at least owe me an explanation."

"I don't know if I can give you that, not right now."

"Please try," Maxie urged her sister.

Georgie stood up and walked to the window, pushing back the curtain and looking out into the darkness.

Finally she sighed and decided to take the plunge. "I was married."

To her credit, Maxie didn't look shocked. "Was?"

Georgie turned back to face her sister. "Yes, was. We didn't divorce or anything. He was the love of my life, right up there next to Dillon. He died."

Maxie's face fell and she bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "Oh Georgie. I'm so sorry. That must had been so hard for you."

"The hardest. It wasn't supposed to be that way," Georgie replied bitterly.

"Well of course not. No one wants their spouse to die."

"No, that's not it. You don't understand. He didn't die from cancer or a heart attack. He was killed. Murdered."

Maxie gasped. She hadn't been expecting that. "What? How?"

"Someone I made very angry wanted revenge. So he went after my family."

"Oh sweetie, I'm so, so sorry. When did it happen?"

"Eight years ago," Georgie replied dully.

"I'm so sorry Georgie," Maxie said softly. She knew how hard it was to admit the truth.

Georgie shook her head and turned toward the stairs. "It doesn't matter. It was a long time ago. I should be over it by now."

Maxie stood up and crossed the room, reaching for Georgie's hand. "That's not true. Death is something we never get over. It _does _matter. And you don't know how glad I am that you told me that. Now I know something of your life from when you were gone."

Georgie smiled faintly. "I suppose. I'm tired so I'm going to go to bed."

Maxie nodded and watched her sister climb the stairs. "I love you Georgie."

She stopped and looked back at her sister. "I love you too, Max." silence filled the room as Maxie waited for her sister to disappear around the corner. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. She knew that they all needed time to process it. But knowing one piece of her sister's life made the processing just a little bit easier.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Olivia hugged her wool coat closer to her body as she walked through the east entrance into the city park. It was funny, she thought, after living in Port Charles for more than twenty-eight years; she'd never been to this section of the park. Sure, she'd jogged around the trail on the north end and once she'd even attended a picnic near the west entrance, but she'd never come by this gazebo.

It wasn't as though she was unaware of what despicable act had taken place near this very gazebo—no one could live in Port Charles for long and not know of it's odd history with mass murderers—but she'd simply never found a reason to come here.

So now, after all these years, why was she here?

Olivia recalled the text she'd received that morning. It had been very simple, nothing more than a few words asking her to meet at the gazebo at the east entrance of the park. At first she'd been surprised to receive the text. In all the years that she'd known Georgie, she hadn't ever known her to come to Port Charles. In fact, it had been all but forbidden.

After all, she had supposedly died.

But here she was, in Port Charles, wanting to see Olivia.

Olivia couldn't help but like Georgie. She had been the perfect match for Dante. And they'd been so much in love, a rare thing in today's world. But that love had been torn apart by a tragedy.

She thought of her sweet son, the one she'd worked so hard to protect. For the first twenty years of his life, Dante had never known of his father and the pain wrought in Sonny's wake. How ironic it was that Dante would die at the hands of people Olivia had once protected him from.

But it hadn't just been her son. No. as it to add insult to injury, they had taken Olivia's sweet granddaughter Amelia.

She thought of the call she'd received twenty-three years earlier. Dante had been so excited to tell her that he'd met a woman—a WSB agent—and that she was the_ one._ Olivia remembered feeling so happy that her son had found happiness—only to be confused at the parameters of the relationship.

In the beginning, they hadn't told Olivia the details. She'd only known that Georgie couldn't ever come to Port Charles because of her supposed death and that she was an undercover agent for the WSB. At first this had worried Olivia. What had her son gotten himself into?

But she'd soon realized how perfect they were for each other. Not only did they have their job in common, they had a love of old movies and of books to share.

When they'd announced their engagement, she'd been so overjoyed. But she knew that their love was not a conventional one. She had been instructed to keep quiet about Dante's marriage because Georgie was supposed to be dead. Olivia had complied even though it became especially difficult when her granddaughter had been born.

After their wedding, Georgie and Dante had settled in New York. It was close enough to feel like home, but far enough away to keep a low profile. Olivia had been tempted to move to the city to be near them, but Dante convinced her to stay in Port Charles.

So for nearly three decades, Olivia had stayed in Port Charles. She had eventually purchased a condo in the middle of town. Also she had stayed on at the Metrocourt as assistant to Jax—much to Carly's dismay. She'd stayed in Port Charles and worked at the hotel because she enjoyed the challenge and work kept her mind off the fact that her son was far away in a relationship that was—according to the state of New York—physically impossible. Although her life had been her own, she had missed being her son and the chance to watch her granddaughter grow up.

After Amelia had been born, Dante and his daughter had traveled back to Port Charles each summer to visit. They had fabricated a story about Amelia's mother having a demanding job—which was partly true anyway. Everyone in Port Charles had believed it—including Olivia's own cousin Kate.

So in the end she was standing in the park on a cold winter day waiting for the daughter-in-law she barely knew. Olivia looked out into the bright winter sun and smiled when she saw a tall brunette crossing the snow covered ground.

"Hi."

"Hello, how are you?" Olivia held out her hand, which Georgie clasped tightly.

Georgie shrugged. "I'm fine. It's weird, being back here."

"I bet." Olivia motioned to a bench. "Why don't we sit down?"

Georgie nodded and followed her mother-in-law across to the stone bench. "I told my sister about my marriage."

"Yes, how did she take it?" Olivia asked.

"I didn't tell her who I was married to. That would take too much explanation," Georgie hugged her coat closer to her body as she talked. Perhaps she should have met Olivia at the Metrocourt.

"You can, you know. Dante wouldn't have minded."

Georgie nodded. "I know, but it's still too painful."

Olivia smiled slightly. "I know that too. I miss them both, everyday. There is so much that I wish I could tell him. You don't know how many times I wish I could have watched Mel dance just one more time."

"I made a mistake. I made too many enemies and didn't protect my family."

Olivia shook her head quickly. "No, no. you can't think that way. You did not do anything that caused Dante's and Amelia's deaths. I don't want to hear differently."

"I will always blame myself, no matter how much time passes. But for the record, I am glad that the ruse it up. I'm glad that I'm home."

Olivia stood up and pulled Georgie up with her. She enveloped her in a hug. "I'm glad that you are home too. You should talk about Dante and Amelia. They don't deserve to be forgotten about."

Georgie hugged Olivia and then pulled back. "Thank you. Thank you for keeping my secret for all those years even when it was hard."

Olivia smiled just as her phone rang. She glanced down at it and grimaced. Jax. "Oh no. Listen Georgie, I would love to chat, but I sold my soul to Jasper Jax and am being summoned."

After a quick hug, Olivia hurried out of the park and toward the center of town. Georgie watched her go as she mentally prepared for her next stop.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The house was silent as Maxie slowly climbed the stairs with her dust rag and vacuum cleaner. Her family was away for the day—the girls to school for their last day before Christmas break—and Spinelli to his work for the FBI.

After that horrible biochemical poison outbreak nearly twenty- eight years ago, Spinelli had worked as a technical analyst for the FBI. He no longer worked for the mob as Jason was no longer supposedly in the mob. But Maxie knew that despite his consulting for the FBI, he was very much in the midst of international crime. Even Jason, who kept up the coffee importing front, still maintained his alliances and contacts for the mob.

Maxie took her cleaning supplies into her and Spinelli's room first. She figured that theirs was the neatest and would take the least amount of time. Then she could focus on Fiona's and Julia's rooms, for they were sure to take much longer.

Even though she finished the master bedroom in less than ten minutes, she wondered why she just didn't bother to hire someone to clean it for her. Truth be told, she _hated _house work. But as she was a responsible adult—a responsible adult with a mortgage—she had to do just what she hated.

Sighing, she carried her cleaning supplies out of the room and into the hallway. Fully prepared to take on the task of her daughter's rooms, she paused, glancing at the closed door across the hall.

She might as well tidy up her sister's room while she was at it.

Maxie walked up and pushed open the door. Upon entering, she knew for certain that Georgie hadn't lost her neatness gene over the years. She checked the bathroom, which was spotless and cleaned a little of the dust off the desk. All in all, the room was immaculate.

As she prepared to leave the room, a piece of paper on the nightstand caught her eye. Maxie walked over and picked up the paper, seeing it to be a photograph. She studied the photo closely.

It was of a girl, a young girl with caramel colored hair wrapped into a tight bun. She wore pale blue leotard, making her piercing blue eyes—so like Georgie's—even bluer. She stood next to a row of mirrors, leg up on the _barre_.

Maxie couldn't help but be shocked. Was this girl—this child—Georgie's daughter? The possibilities were endless. But in her heart she knew, this was Georgie's daughter. Though the question was: where was she? Why hadn't Georgie said anything about having a daughter? Unless…no, she was probably in college or something. Surely Georgie kept in regular contact.

Maxie ran a finger down the girl's face before turning the photograph over. She had to squint her eyes to read the faded writing. It was written in neat printing, clearly and delicately.

_Mom, here's a picture so you don't forget what I look like while you are away saving the world. Come home safe, we need you._

_Love, Amelia_

So she did have a daughter. But what happened to her? Maxie bit back tears as she quickly replaced the photo and hurried out of the room. She couldn't deal with anymore sadness right now.

She might have hated cleaning, but it sure was a good way to not think about anything.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**So please review! I hope that you like this chapter and continue to look for updates. I have a long weekend this weekend so I may be able to get up another chapter within the next four days. Enjoy!**


	29. Dare to Tell the Truth

Maxie hurried through the brisk winter air toward Sonny's—now Jason's coffeehouse. In her hand she carried a grocery bag containing a bottle of orange soda and a large sized bag of barbeque potato chips.

It was, she thought, a sort of reinforcement technique.

She was on a mission now. And had been ever since she'd discovered that photo earlier during her morning cleaning venture. She needed to know what had gone on during Georgie's thirty years of supposedly being dead.

And there was only one person that could help her in a time like this.

Maxie crossed the square and entered the coffeehouse that stood as a front for the mob. The barista stood behind the coffee counter, preparing a mocha for a paying customer. But she bypassed the counter and headed for the door on the opposite wall. Max, Jason's longtime security guard and friend stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait Maxie, you can't go in there," he cautioned, holding up a hand.

She stopped and frowned. "Max, please. It's really important. I need to see my husband."

He sighed and stepped aside. "Fine, but make it quick. You know that Jason doesn't like you being involved in the business."

She smiled now, and leaned up to drop a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks Max, you're a gem." Without waiting for another word, she pushed open the door and strode into the unusually lit office.

Spinelli sat at Jason's desk, his head figuratively buried in the laptop. But Maxie knew that she could use both her own wiles and the temptation of soda and chips to get his attention.

She coughed to get his attention. "Hi Spinelli."

"Maxie, what are you doing here?" he exclaimed, getting up from behind the desk. He walked over to her and kissed her.

She smiled and held out the shopping bag. "I brought these for you."

He peeked inside, smiled slowly, ending in a frown. "Why would you—out of the blue—bring me the spice of life?" But he pulled out the chips and soda, setting them on the table.

She sighed. "Oh I can't get past you, can I?"

"Of course not, I know you better than anyone," Spinelli replied, sitting down and motioning for her to take the opposite chair. When she did, he asked again. "Maxie, not that I don't love you see you, but why exactly are you here?"

"I need you to do some research for me."

He eyed his wife suspiciously. "O-o-okay…what sort of research?"

Maxie threw up her hands exasperatedly. "Spinelli, you are the smartest man I know. And I come to you—my husband—for help and you won't help me?"

"No. I'll help you, but I know you. You always have a plan."

"I need you to find everything you can about Georgie."

Even as he poised his fingers over the keyboard, he looked up at her in surprise. "Georgie? The wise one? Why?"

"Because there is so much that I don't know about her and she won't tell me," Maxie said quickly.

"Do you want to tell me what brought this on?" Spinelli asked quietly. They both knew that he would do the research, but he wanted to make sure that she was ready to know the truth.

Maxie rose and began pacing. She always thought better when she was moving. "I was cleaning the upstairs this morning and I went into the guestroom. There was a photo on the nightstand. It was a picture of a young girl, a dancer, and on the back was as inscription signed by an _Amelia. _Georgie already told me that she was married and that her husband was murdered. She didn't directly say that she had a daughter but the picture was addressed to _mom_. It can't be a coincidence. So that is why I need to know the truth."

"Okay." Spinelli turned to the computer and began furiously tapping his fingers over the keyboard. Maxie stopped pacing and stared at her husband.

"Okay? Just like that?"

Spinelli stopped for a brief second, long enough to look up at her. "Yes, okay. I trust you. And you need to know this. But you can't tell your sister that you know. You need to wait until she's ready."

Maxie smiled now. She picked up her jacket and purse. "Thanks Spinelli!" She leaned over to drop a kiss on his lips. "Call me when you have anything. I have to get to work."

And as fast as she had arrived, she was gone. Spinelli looked up to see her go and grinned. How lucky had he been to get Maxie? Chuckling to himself, he looked back at the screen and back through three decades of classified information.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Georgie pulled the borrowed car up into the driveway. Maxie had given her free use of their third car—Fiona's future car. As she shut off the engine and stepped outside, she was startled to see her childhood home. The house looked the same. It was the same color, had the same shrubbery in the yard. Everything was the same.

She wasn't exactly sure why she was here. After all, what could she say to the uncle who'd been kept in the dark for all these years? No, not uncle; Mac was more her father than her biological father had ever been.

Shaking her head, she crossed the pathway toward the front door. As she did, she noticed that the shutters were a different shade of green. So there was some change.

Georgie lifted her hand to knock on the door. She waited for a few moments. Perhaps he wasn't home after all. But then the door swung open and Georgie was stunned to see her uncle, thirty years older than she remembered him, but still as handsome as ever.

"I was wondering when you'd come over." It was said as a statement, not needing as answer. He held the door open wider, allowing her to enter.

She slipped off her coat and set it—along with her purse—on the chair in the foyer. "I was exhausted from being in the hospital."

He nodded and motioned for her to cross into the living room. Part of her was relieved to see the same couch and end tables gracing the wide room. It meant that not everything had changed.

"But you are okay now?" Mac asked, sitting on a chair across from her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little concussion is all. A minor automobile accident can't bring me down," Georgie replied nervously.

"Yes, I'm sure you are stronger than that," Mac mused, briefly wondering what she had dealt with at the WSB.

Georgie closed her eyes momentarily, gathering her wits. "Mac—I don't know why I'm here—or what to say."

Mac sighed. "Well, that makes two of us."

"I'm sorry."

Mac shook his head. "No, Georgie. You did what you had to do."

"But I caused so much pain and agony. To you, Robin and Maxie," she protested.

"You did what you had to do," Mac replied, getting to his feet and crossing the room toward the window. As he looked out at the gray sky, he spoke quietly. "Were you happy with your choice?"

She was momentarily taken aback with his question. No one had ever asked her if she would have chosen the WSB—had she been given the choice in the first place. "I-I was happy with it. At one time I love it, but not so much anymore."

Mac turned and looked at her. "What happened to make to dislike your job?"

"Mac, you don't want to go into this today. Please, it's too difficult for me."

He nodded and cross the room to her. Taking her hand, he looked into her eyes—eyes he'd once believed he'd never see again. "Okay. I won't ask. But I hope that you will tell me one day."

She smiled and nodded, too choked up to answer. "I will, I promise. I love you Mac. I never stopped loving you—even when I couldn't tell you it."

"I know. Same goes here," he replied, placing a gentle kiss on her brow. Georgie stood up.

"I'd better be getting back. I'm sure that Maxie is wondering where I've gone. Thanks for the visit." She walked out of the room and gathered her coat and purse. Slipping the wool coat over her arms, she buttoned it against the wind.

"Please stop by again," Mac said, pulling her close. She breathed in his familiar scent and bit back tears.

Finally she pulled back and opened the door. Moments later, she was sitting in her car and pulling out of the driveway—with tears running down her face. She was happy to see that her uncle hadn't changed that much in the years gone by.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Georgie wove through the trees that lined the long driveway leading to the Quartermaine Mansion. Even though she was exhausted from both her visit with Olivia and Mac, she knew that this stop was necessary.

Georgie stepped out of the car and crossed the shoveled pathway to the front door. It was all so familiar; she was half expecting Alice to answer the door as well. But with time came change. And it was best that she knew that now.

She pushed the doorbell and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally the door swung open and she was surprised to see a short blond girl standing in front of her.

"Oh. Hello…I'm looking for Dillon. Is he around?" Georgie asked, hating she fact that she sounded nervous.

The girl cracked a small smile. "Yes, he is. Do you want to come in?" She held the door open wider for Georgie to enter.

"Thanks." As she stepped in to the foyer, she was surprised and relieved to see that the mansion was still the same.

"Uh, I'll go find my dad," the girl said, racing up the stairs and leaving Georgie standing in the foyer her mouth open in shock. _Dillon had a child?_

Well, of course he did. She hadn't expected him to just mourn her for the rest of his life. Had she? Georgie supposed that she had never given much thought to what Dillon would do with his life.

Since he had a child, surely he was married. That was something that she couldn't quite swallow. The thought of her high school sweetheart with another woman was a painful idea. And one that she didn't have the time to contemplate because at that very moment, Dillon Quartermaine was descending the stairs.

"What are you doing here?" he growled, shoving past her toward the main parlor. She huffed a reply and followed him into the familiar room. He stalked to the bar and poured himself two fingers of the Irish whiskey. It was something that he rarely did, but now seemed like the right time for it.

"I needed to see you. To make you understand," she replied quietly.

"I don't need to understand anything. You left, on your own free will, without saying goodbye," Dillon muttered to himself, but she heard him anyway.

"I didn't have a choice," Georgie replied. "There was no other way possible."

"There's always another option," Dillon refilled his glass and knocked it down his throat, the burn giving him some satisfaction.

Georgie closed her eyes momentarily to gather her wits. She walked to the window and stared out onto the sleeping rose garden.

The she turned around and spoke, "One week before I-I died, I got a phone call from the WSB. They couldn't tell me the details but gave me a business propositions. They offered me a job as an agent but there was a catch." Her voice broke and tears fell silently down her face. "B-but I would have to d-die. I had to make it look like an accident because they wanted Diego Alcazar and I was the key. I would get the chance to be an agent if I left everything and everyone that I knew. At first, I said no. I couldn't just leave my family and friends without a backward glance. But then the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea."

"How can you 'like the idea' of dying to get an interesting career." Dillon spat out the words as if they were a foul-tasting food.

She raised her head and he saw the tears. "You'll never know how much I regretted my decision."

"But you got the career of your dreams," Dillon said.

"Sometimes there's more to life than a career," she replied, gathering her coat and purse. She turned to look at him. "I just wanted you to know the whole story. If you continue to hate me for the rest of my life, I can live with that. I know that I caused you a lot pain. But whatever you do, be grateful. Yes, I did get a dream career, but it cost me more than I ever wanted to give up. You are very lucky to have your daughter. Cherish her." and without another word, Georgie swept out of the room and slipped out the front door, hurrying toward her car. As she was about to open the door and slid in, she heard a voice from behind her.

"Ms. Jones!"

Georgie turned and saw Dillon's blonde daughter racing after her. When the girl caught up to her, Georgie waited while she caught her breath. "Yes?"

Taking a deep breath, Alex said, "Do you know Bree Buchanan? I know that you are a WSB agent and that she's one too."

Georgie smiled, thinking of her friend and protégé. "Yes, I do. How do you know her?"

Alex smiled now. "She's a cousin of sorts. She's my mother's second cousin. I live in Llanview with my mother, which is where she grew up."

Georgie nodded. "I see. I've been to Llanview before. I went to Bree's family's home. Who's your mother?" As she asked the question, Georgie had a quick internal debate as to if she _really _wanted to know the girl's mother; because if she did know who Alex's mother was, she'd know who Dillon had married.

"My mom's Starr Manning-Thornhart." Georgie grimaced internally. She had seen Starr and had immediately thought her to be a blonde bimbo. Apparently she had some class or Dillon wouldn't have had seen anything in her.

"I think that I met her once," Georgie replied, thinking quickly. "You know if you ever want to know how your dad was like in high school, we should get together and talk."

Alex smiled. "Thank you Ms. Jones!"

As the girl turned toward the Quartermaine mansion, Georgie added, "You're welcome, but please call me Georgie. Ms. Jones makes me feel old."

Alex waved and trotted back to the house. Georgie got in her car and drove away, wondering what exactly had just happened. Fate was an amusing bitch, Georgie thought, she was now friend's with her ex-husband's/high-school boyfriend's daughter. Life seemed to take all sorts of twists and turns.

********


	30. The Next Seven Months

Spinelli walked through the front door of his house with a heavy heart. He wasn't sure how Maxie would take his news. After all, he had the last thirty years of Georgie's life laid out in a single file. A rather thick file.

He himself hadn't believed what he'd read about his sister-in-law. He was surprised to read of her accomplishments and of her sadness. It was a terrible thing to lose a loved one. But it was even worse to lose your entire family.

To give himself a moment of composure before he faced his wife, Spinelli walked up the stairs toward their bedroom. In the room, he put the file by Maxie's side of the bed—so that Georgie would not suspect that she was being looked into. As he threw water over his face, he made sure that his face told nothing of what he'd spent the afternoon reading. There was no time like the present to face Maxie.

When he walked into the kitchen, Maxie was at the sink, her hands elbow deep into the dishwater. He came up behind her and wrapped his hands around her waist. She grinned, turning and bringing her soapy hands to his cheeks.

"Spinelli! I thought I heard you come home," she exclaimed, kissing his lips and then turning back to her task.

"Yeah, I was upstairs. I found the information and it's upstairs in the bedroom," he said, his eyebrow raised slightly. He didn't really want to talk about it right now. Not with Georgie coming home any moment.

She mimicked the raised eyebrow. "Okay," she said, drawing out the first syllable. "Did you find anything interesting?"

He shrugged. "There's a lot of interesting information, Maxie. You will just have to read it for yourself."

She cocked her head. "_Damien."_ Turning back to the counter where she picked up the dishcloth. She wiped the counter in a long circular motion as Spinelli stared at her.

Suddenly her shoulders began jerking up and down as sobs filled the room. Spinelli closed his eyes and crossed the room to her, wrapping her in him arms. She held on tightly as the tears continued to fall.

"Oh God! Why won't she just talk to me? Why do I have to sneak around and ask you to look into her life? I just want to get a little piece of my sister back. We used to talk about _everything_ and now, all we ever do is polite small talk. I don't do polite small talk, but I don't know what to do!" she stepped back and threw her hands into the air, exasperated.

"I don't know Maxie. I wish I had the answer to all your questions, but I don't. No one does. We just have to wait. In the mean time, I love you Maxie Jones. And nothing, nothing is going to change that," Spinelli said, kissing her deeply.

Outside that close room, a person stood in the shadows. And that person closed her eyes and realized that once again, the secrets were taking a toll on her life.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Molly pulled her car up to the big brownstone where Lila lived. She stopped the car and stepped out, grabbing a stack of boxes and two plastic bags containing their meal. As she did, Mattie waved her hands in the air and raced across the street.

"Hi, I got here as soon as I could. Is she home yet?" Mattie said, breathless.

Molly nodded. "Yeah, she's home. I called her when I was getting the food." She walked across the sidewalk and opened the door, holding it open for Mattie.

"Okay, now what? Now we have to convince Lila that she's really pregnant? I don't think that Lila will listen. She'd rather live in the land of denial," Mattie pointed out. She reached for the boxes, which Molly relinquished gratefully. Together they walked to the elevator and stepped inside. Molly pushed the arrow pointing up and the elevator lurched as it ascended through the building.

"Maybe, but she has to face the facts. She's pregnant. And in a matter of seven months or so, she _will _be a mother. And Cameron Spencer with be a father," Molly replied, arching her eyebrow.

"I wish that she would have come to the hospital. That way, I could have done an exam and everything," Mattie said, biting her lip. She wanted to make sure that Lila and her baby were okay.

"And she will, once we talk to her." It was said with assurance as the bell _dinged_ and the elevator door opened. Molly strode down the hall toward Lila's apartment. Mattie quickly followed behind.

They stood in front of the closed door after Molly had knocked. They knew that Lila was on the other side, hesitating because she wasn't willing to face the truth.

Finally the door opened and a tired-looking Lila stood in front of them. "Hi," she said, opening the door wider to allow them to enter.

Molly took the bags from Mattie, walked into the kitchen and set all the packages on the counter. In the living room, Lila was still standing by the front door while Mattie slipped out of her coat and draped it over a chair. No one spoke.

Finally Lila grew annoyed with the silence. "I suppose I know why both of you are here." She placed a palm on her flat stomach, which showed that she was at least acknowledging her situation.

"We just want to help…" Mattie started.

"We just want you to know that you aren't alone," Molly finished quickly.

Lila sighed and dropped into her big plush chair. "I don't _know _what to do. And at the moment, I don't know which scares me more, the fact that I'm pregnant or that I have no idea where to go from here. I mean, I'm _pregnant_, expecting, with child. In a matter of months, I will be completely responsible for another life and I can barely keep my own from falling down around me!"

"Lila, Lila, calm down," Mattie soothed, standing up to walk behind her friend and giving her a brief shoulder rub.

"Well, we can't tell you what to do exactly. But we can help make your choices a little easier," Molly replied.

Lila shook her head. "I know that I will have to tell Cam, but I'm afraid. Not afraid of what he'll say or do, but of how it will change _us._ I mean, we have been in a constant state of limbo _forever_ and we were just beginning to get to a really good, solid place. And now, I'm pregnant."

"Are you angry that you are pregnant?"

Lila shrugged off Mattie's hands. "I can barely comprehend what caused this, let alone how I feel about this baby. I-I'm not mad, more so surprised. I never planned—never even thought about getting pregnant. And now that I am, well, it changed the entire playing field." She stood up and stalked to the window, looking out into the night. "I will tell Cameron, but I won't get married simply because of this baby. I am a career-driven independent woman. I don't need a man to help me. He can still be as involved in this baby's life as he wants. But unless I know that he wants to marry me because he loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me, we shall remain single, involved parents," she finished with a quick nod and both Mattie and Molly knew that she was very sure of herself.

"Okay, so now that we have the intervention part of the evening out of the way, we should eat," Molly said, standing up and walking to the kitchen. Lila followed her.

"Is that Chinese I smell?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, chow mein and pork fried rice," Mattie answered, helping Molly unload the bags and cartons.

"I hope that you got extra egg rolls," Lila said, taking the top off of a carton of almond chicken. She smelled it and smiled. "I'm barely pregnant and already I want all the food I can get!"

"I'm sure that you didn't feel that way this morning," Mattie replied dryly, knowing that her friend had suffered horrid morning sickness earlier in the day and that it would most like occur in the same way for the next few weeks.

Lila grimaced and shook her head. "No, but I now I'm great. And I'm _starving_! I'm also sure that this is my first craving." She grinned and upon finding the carton of the egg rolls, but into one with enthusiasm.

Molly cracked a small smile and shared a quick look with Mattie. Clearly, it was going to be a long, long seven months.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So, how's the story so far? I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy, but also, I was a little stuck. I don't know where to go from here. I'm hoping that some of my readers can give be a little insight. Where do you want this story to go? Please, help me!!**


	31. The Beginning of The End

Mattie bundled her coat tighter to her body as she raced to the front door of General Hospital. She'd gotten home from the intervention at Lila's very late the previous night and as a result, had slept past her alarm; which meant that she had exactly twelve minutes to ride the elevator to the fifth floor, sprint to the employee locker room, change into her scrubs and be at the nurse's desk in time to start her shift.

Waiting as the elevator ascended to the fifth floor, she tapped her foot impatiently. She had a full day scheduled today, which included post-operative checkup on Ric Lansing.

Finally, the doors opened and she stepped out into the bustling hospital. A glance at the clock told her that she now had eight minutes to get changed and ready for her shift. Despite her long day, she had plans to see Maxie about the wedding. Mattie smiled to herself as she slipped into her scrubs and stowed her street clothes in the locker.

Now that she knew that Georgie was okay, Maxie was really throwing herself into the wedding plans. This was, Mattie reasoned, completely fine with her because she wasn't nearly as creative as her aunt. But she had to get through today before she could even think about the wedding.

Slamming her locker close, she placed her stethoscope around her neck and ran out to the nurses' station. By the time she got there, she was momentarily out of breath. Allowing her heart to slow, she smiled at Elizabeth who handed her the charts for her rounds.

"Good Morning."

Elizabeth looked from where she was making notations on a chart. "Hi! How are you today?"

Mattie opened the first chart to see who she was tending to first this morning. "Oh fine, I was out a little late last night. So other than a little sleep deprived, I'm fine."

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. "Sleep deprived? Too much time with Morgan?" Humor danced in her eyes.

Rolling her eyes, she grinned. "No, nothing like that. In fact, I haven't seen Morgan since yesterday morning. I was at Lila Alcazar's last night. She was in the middle of a major crisis."

Elizabeth's eyes clouded with concern. "Oh, is she okay?"

"Uh, yeah, she's fine now," Mattie replied. _She's only pregnant with your grandchild. _She cursed herself silently. She really shouldn't be talking to Elizabeth Morgan about Lila's crisis.

"I really have to go. I have a busy day and I am late as it is. I'll talk to you later," she called, racing in the opposite direction. It seemed as if there was always some secret in Port Charles. And when there was, there were too many players that could potentially get hurt from it.

Coming to a stop in front of the patient's room, she pasted on a smile and entered to begin her day.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Lucky Spencer sat at his desk, head in his hands. It had been over a week since the ball at Wyndemere and PCPD were no closer on solving the Ric Lansing case.

There were dozens of motives, but no suspects.

Every single person who had a reason to attempt murder on Ric was accounted for. Everyone from Claudia Zacchara to Jason Morgan had been checked, rechecked and crossed off. There simply was no right answer. Sighing, Lucky stood up and paced the room. There had to be another side, someone else who wanted Ric dead. But Lucky was just not seeing it.

It had been a while since there were any high level mob-related cases in Port Charles. Jason Morgan was evidently lying low for the moment. And Sonny…well, Sonny was six feet underground.

Lucky sighed and stared at the papers spread out on the desk. He'd had it pretty easy since his instatement as commissioner of the police department. By then, Sonny was gone and had pretty much taken the mob with him.

But Lucky wasn't about to pull the wool completely over his eyes. He knew that Jason was still somewhat involved with the mob and that there was always a chance that things could change.

Lucky didn't think that Ric being shot had anything to do with the mob. There was no evidence of that. All mobsters had been accounted for on the evening of the ball.

That being said, no one shot Ric Lansing for no reason. The police were missing something. That, Lucky was sure of. And it was his job as commissioner to figure out what that something was.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

The winter sun spread neatly out over the bay in Port Charles, NY. The waters were quiet today, as it had been for eleven years. Sonny Corinthos had been taken down by a single shot and had taken the majority of the mob out with him.

Sonny may have died, but Ric Lansing hadn't. And that was the biggest thorn in the side of one _very_ important player.

This player stood in the shadows of the apartment, looking out over the water and imagining the joyous moment when Ric was snubbed out for good. But for now, he had to plan his next move.

A cell phone rang out in the silent room and the man snapped it up, answering harshly. "Tell me why you waited to call me until now—six days later."

He frowned as his guard sputtered as excuse. "No! Stop. I don't want your petty excuses. All I want to know is why you wasted a bullet by shooting Lansing in the stomach!"

"_Sir, I was distracted. I—"_

"Obviously you were distracted, but it was an open shot! There is no excuse. You are excused from this position. I need the best and obviously you are not." He shut the phone with a crack before another word was said. With a disgusted growl, the player paced the room, grumbling about lack of good help. 

"You are too hard on him, Mikhail."

The man turned around and was about to snarl again when he saw whom the voice belonged to. "Anya, I did not hear you enter." He sighed and shoved the phone into a drawer.

"You sounded very angry," the young woman replied, walking further into the room. She wore exercise clothes and carried a half-empty bottle of water. Pushing her hair out of her face, she smiled up at her brother.

"Did you go out running?"

"Yes, it was so refreshing. I—"

"What have I told you about going out alone? You must not do that, Anneke. It is not safe," Mikhail scolded.

"I'm _fine,_ Mikhail. Port Charles is very safe. Much safer than home," Anya answered. She laughed to herself over the fact that no matter if they were twins and that she was the youngest by only eight minutes, her brother still felt that he had to be protective of her.

"It is safe on the surface, but the mob is still in the underworld. And we are too connected to the mob to take that risk. Think of Grandfather," Mikhail said, coming to take his sister's hand. "I love you Anya and I would die myself if anything happened to you. So I worry."

She smiled and patted his cheek. "Well, you mustn't worry so. I am very capable of taking care of myself. And on that note, I have to get ready for work. My shift begins very soon." She kissed his cheek and turned toward her bedroom. "And I do not need an escort to get to General Hospital."

He shook his head and reached for his phone. No matter what Anya thought, she was still his baby sister and he wouldn't let anything happen to her. Shaking his head, he dialed a number to request a car to follow her to the hospital.

No matter how long it took to rid Port Charles of Ric Lansing, nothing would happen to Anya. That, he was certain of.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Hours after her shift had begun Mattie exited a patient's room and made her way back to the nurses' station. She had been checking on new mothers and examining two mothers-to-be. Now she could only hope that those two mothers didn't decide to deliver at the same time. If that was the case, she'd have to call Kelly Lee. Who, Mattie knew, was in the middle of a caesarian section at the moment.

Handing her charts to Elizabeth, she turned as her uncle Dr. Matt Hunter came out of the elevator. "Hi Uncle Matt!"

"Hey," he too handed his charts to Elizabeth. "Your dad said that you're getting married. I didn't get a chance to congratulate you."

"Thanks. Yeah, after all these years, Morgan and I are finally getting married."

"That's exciting. When's the big day," Matt asked.

Mattie grinned. "Well, we are planning on January 5. Maxie's going in seven different directions trying to plan it. But she'd having the time of her life, so I can't complain. At least I know that I'll have a really great day."

"And so you will. Your dad's really happy," Matt replied, looking up as a nurse hurried toward them.

"Dr. Hunter, Ric Lansing is awake. Elizabeth said to tell you right away. He's lucid—"

Matt didn't even wait for the woman to finish her sentence before he raced down the hall. Mattie was close to his heels. Even as they rounded the corner near Ric's room, they could hear him calling out.

"What the hell happened to me? How did I get here?"

Matt entered room, following closely behind by Mattie. "Mr. Lansing, I'm Dr. Hunter. I see that you are feeling better." He moved to stand at the end of the bed and opened his chart.

"What happened to me?" Ric demanded.

Mattie stepped up beside her uncle. "Perhaps I can explain that Mr. Lansing." She smiled at the patient and glanced at Matt, who nodded.

"I'm Dr. Mattie Drake. You were shot at the charity ball at Wyndemere, Mr. Lansing. It was a single shot that entered your right side and went through the outer wall of the right lung. It then lodged itself in your trachea. At the scene, I performed a field tracheotomy because you were essentially suffocating. Once you arrived at the hospital, you went into surgery and Dr. Hunter patched the hole and extracted the bullet," she finished breathlessly like a marathon runner at the end of a race.

Matt nodded at her and turned back to Ric. "Okay Mr. Lansing, do you have any questions?"

Ric nodded curtly. "Yes, am I going to recover?"

Matt smiled. "Oh yes, I do good work. You are as good as new. Although I will have to make you stay in the hospital for observation for a few more days."

"Thank you Doctor. My second question is: do the police have a suspect?" Ric looked critically at the shapeless hospital gown.

"I don't have an answer to that. But I'm sure that the police will want to talk to you. I can let them know that you are on the mend," Matt answered. He nodded to the nurse to finish taking Ric's vital.

"Thank you Dr. Hunter—and Dr. Drake," Ric replied as both Mattie and Matt exited the room. Together they walked back down the hallway, satisfied that Lansing was on the mend.

In the shadows outside Ric Lansing's hospital room, a young nurse fingered her cell phone. Punching a familiar number, she waited until a voice answered on the other end.

"Mik? You said that you wanted to know about Lansing? Well, he's awake. Yes, only a few minutes ago. His attending physician gave him a clean bill of health but said that he will have to stay in the hospital for a few more days. I have to go. See you later."

She slipped the phone back into the pocket of her pink scrubs. Moving quickly down the hall, she pasted a smile on her face as she entered the nursery. She wasn't quite sure why her brother was so interested in Ric Lansing. As far as she could tell, he was just another lawyer who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

There were some things that one was just better off not questioning.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So here's another update! I think that this is my fastest update so far. I am now going in a different direction so that my story retains its interest. I think that you all will like this new storyline. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the Georgie story. It's coming! Keep reading and Keep reviewing! Enjoy! **


	32. The Truth Comes Out

Lila stood impatiently in a line at Kelly's. She'd had another run-in with morning sickness and remembered that Mattie had said that soda crackers and herbal tea were good. It seemed that Baby didn't like coffee, so she was resigned to herbal tea as her morning drink.

As the line moved slowly up, she went over her day silently to herself. She had a full day of work that had to be squeezed into only two thirds of a day. She had scheduled an appointment with Mattie in the later afternoon. Sighing, she tapped her foot. She really needed to hurry and get to work. Then it was her turn. Lulu smiled as she waited for Lila to make her decision.

"I'll have the herbal tea—a medium," She added as Lulu punched a few keys on the cash register.

"What, no mocha?" Lulu asked. "That will be two fifty." He took the money Lila handed her and made quick change.

Lila faltered. She wasn't ready for everyone to know yet…especially when Cameron didn't even know. "Uh, no…I'm just trying something new—being a little healthier."

Lulu nodded knowingly, but said nothing. Lila moved to the side while the next customer. As she did, a body appeared behind her.

"Lila!"

She turned around to see Cameron standing in front of her. "Hi Cam. What's up?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering if you wanted to go to dinner with me tonight," he replied, reaching for her hand.

As he did, his face blurred and she gripped the counter for support. A queasy feeling came over her and she worried that she was going to get sick. Cam gripped her arm.

"Lila? What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. Finally his face came back into focus as the dizziness passed.

Lila shook her head, took a deep breath before answering. "N-nothing. I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"You're not fine. What's wrong?"

"Cameron, I'm okay. Really. I just need my caffeine," she replied sharply as Lulu handed her the tea. Cameron took it from her, slipped off the lid and took a sniff.

He frowned. "This isn't coffee. It's herbal tea. What's with you? You get dizzy and nauseous and you're drinking herbal tea. Are you sick?"

"I wouldn't say sick," she started, but he cut her off.

"Then I'm taking you to the hospital if you won't tell me what's going on."

"Cameron, no."

"Then tell me Lila," Cam demanded with a steely glint in his eye.

She glanced around at the other patrons. "Not here," she hissed.

He sighed and grabbed her arm, leading the way out of the restaurant. She stumbled behind him and his long legs. He led them to the pier and pushed her onto to the bench. "Now start talking or we are heading straight for the hospital."

"Cameron, for the last time, I'm _fine_. I'm really okay. I just get a little dizzy every now and then. Please, don't make a big deal out of this," she pleaded. She didn't really want to discuss the matter of their child right now, but was worried that she would have no choice.

"_Something _is not right. I need to know what is wrong with you." He stood up and paced in front of her. "Damn it Lila, you and I are involved! I need to know that you are all right! You can trust me when you want sex, but not with your health?"

"Cameron, I'm not sick! I-I'm pregnant."

He stopped suddenly. Saying nothing, he simply stared at her. Then he spoke, his voice subdued. "What? Run that by me again."

"I'm pregnant."

He let out a breath as he dropped to the bench next to her. "Wow. Pregnant. I wasn't expecting that."

"I wasn't either," she admitted.

He turned to face her. "Are you okay? I-I mean, how's the baby?"

She smiled. "I'm fine, as far as I know." Then she looked down at her lap, suddenly ashamed. "I'm sorry Cam. I never meant for this to happen."

He frowned and cupped her chin, lifting her face up to meet his. "No. Neither of us ever meant for this to happen, but it did. And now we have to face the facts."

"Cameron, I can't marry you. Not now. I can't marry you until I know that you are marrying me for me, not just for the baby. I won't shut you out of this baby's life, but I can't marry you," she said quickly, taking a deep breath.

He nodded, knowing and loving the fact that she was a prideful and independent woman. "I know. I do love you, but I will wait until I can prove it to you. And I will be a good father to this child. I can promise you that."

"I know you will be a good daddy. And I want you to be a major part of this child's life. Even if it was a mistake," she said, turning away from his face.

"Hey, hey, our baby is not a mistake. It's one hell of a surprise, but it's not a mistake," he protested, forcing her to look at him. "I love you Lila, I know that."

"I know. And I love you too. But right now I really have to get to work." She stood up, leaning down to kiss him. "How about this? You come to my apartment tonight after work, bring me dinner and we'll talk."

He grinned. "Sure. What do you want me to bring?"

She smiled saucily and he was relieved to see the real Lila back again. "Surprise me." And with that, she sprinted up the stairs towards the police station.

He watched her go and smiled thoughtfully. Lila was pregnant. He was going to be a father. It was all so surreal. He knew that he would do whatever it took to win Lila's heart. But first, he needed to focus on being the best father he could be.

And he needed some advice for that. He knew just where to go. Jumping up, he followed Lila's path toward PCPD.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Rachel Jacks sat in her tidy corner office at ELQ. She was supposed to be going over the yearly annual revenue for ELQ, but was instead distracted. She knew that she should be grateful and proud of herself for achieving the position as acting CEO of ELQ—the youngest in the company's history. But she just couldn't seem to bring herself to do the work.

She was distracted because she didn't like her job. No, it wasn't that she didn't like it, but that she wanted something different. She wanted run her own company, not one like ELQ.

And if she hadn't her own way, she'd be running her own company within the new year.

Spread out over the dark mahogany desk was her plans, her dreams, her future. She had spent her days running the bulk of ELQ and her nights running, crunching and ordering numbers to make her dreams come true.

_Lady's Court._ It would become the biggest boutique on the East coast. Someday it would rival Saks 5th Ave and the likes. She had great plans for her store. And it would become a success. Rachel Jacks demanded nothing less.

She had run the numbers a dozen times. By her calculations, _she _would be a success. Besides that, Port Charles was the perfect venue. Not only did she have Maxie Jones at her disposal, she also had one of the leading fashion magazines _Crimson_ right in town. Additionally, if Fusion were willing to participate, they'd have the leading cosmetic companies in the country. All in all, there was little chance for failure.

Rachel wouldn't allow for failure. She had been raised by two business-oriented parents who were successful. Rachel had worked her way up the food chain at Metrocourt in high school, graduated Magna Cum Lade from an Ivy League University and spent the better part of the last year reworking ELQ and making it the company that Edward Quartermaine had built it upon.

But she wanted something of her own. Her own creation. She wanted to be the founder and CEO of her own company and she was this much closer to achieving that dream. With luck and determination, her creation would be a reality in a matter of months.

Then she could tell Jake Spencer—the last heir to the Quartermaine fortune—that she quit. Jake had been the burr on her back since the day she'd begun at ELQ. After Monica and Edward Quartermaine had discovered that Jake was Jason's son and a Quartermaine, they'd roped him in the family business. And oddly enough, he found his niche.

He'd been annoyed when she'd been appointed CEO of ELQ instead of him. But Rachel's father was persuasive and very powerful when it came to his shares in the company. And since then, he'd been hell-bent on removing her from her position. But when it became clear that she was what the company needed, the board members had backed her instead of Jake.

As much as she enjoyed her job, she couldn't wait for the day that she could tell Jack that she quit. And if her calculations were correct, she'd never have to answer to a superior again.

Smiling, Rachel meticulously checked her proposition. She needed everything to be perfect. She would impress her father, not as his daughter, but as a business associate. She signed the bottom of the paper and collected her purse. She was practically waltzing to the door as she prepared to give her presentation to Jax Jacks.

When Rachel Jacks had a dream, she did everything in her power to make it a reality.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Elizabeth Morgan frowned from where she stood behind the nurses' station desk on the fifth floor of General Hospital. From her position, she had almost a perfect view of every corridor of the hospital. But at the moment, one corridor in particular had her full attention.

She watched as that new nurse lurked outside of Ric Lansing's hospital room talking on her phone. It was a quick call, made it whispered tones. But Elizabeth had heard the conversation loud and clear.

The nurse seemed nice enough but there was something about the secretive way she'd made her phone call that had the hair on Elizabeth's neck standing up. The woman seemed to have some connection to Ric, but for the life of her, Elizabeth had no idea why. She'd never before seen the woman other than at the hospital. What sort of connection did she have to Ric Lansing?

Elizabeth turned to the computer and went to the employee information. All she knew about the nurse was her first name, but if she was going to report her, she should know more. Typing the woman's name in the search box, she waited until the computer found information. She then reached in her pocket for her own cell phone, moved to a discreet corner of the room and dialed that familiar number.

"Lucky?"

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**Okay, I seem to be on a roll here. I have another new story arch in this chapter. And a new character. I think that the character of Rachel Jacks will be fun to write because she'll be a nice mix of Carly and Jax. Please review after you read. I enjoy reading what my readers think of the story. Above all, enjoy! And check back soon!**


	33. Facing the Truth

Cameron entered the precinct just as his shift was about to begin. After his confrontation with Lila and her subsequent news, he was a little shaken. But, he decided, that was to be expected when a man learned that he was about to be a father. He needed to talk it out and knew just the person to do it with.

A child was lucky to have one good father, but Cam realized that he was exceptionally lucky when he'd had _two _fathers to look up to. Although neither man had been his biological father, they'd treated him as their own child. And to this day, Cam couldn't have been gladder that he'd had both Lucky and Jason in his life. But right now, he needed to talk to the most available man and Lucky topped that list.

Cameron walked toward the commissioner's closed door. Knocking out of politeness, he waited to be allowed entrance. As lucky called out, he walked slowly inside.

"Commissioner?"

Lucky looked up absently. "Yes? Cameron?"

"Commissioner, do you have a moment?"

Lucky nodded quickly and motioned for the chair on the opposite side of the door. "For you, always. What's up?"

Cam sat in the chair and tried to organize his thoughts. He didn't know how to start the whole conversation. How did one tell their father that their girlfriend was pregnant? Cam sighed. He better start talking.

"You know that Lila Alcazar and I are involved, right?"

Lucky set his pen down and nodded. "Yes, I saw the two of you at the charity ball. Everything going okay?"

"She's pregnant"

Lucky's eyes widened and he puffed out a breath. "Wow, I wasn't expecting that. How long have you known?"

Cameron glanced at the clock on the wall, "Oh…about a half hour. I was at Kelly's meeting Lila and she practically fainted in front of me. I demanded to know what was wrong and she wouldn't tell me. I threatened her with a trip to the hospital and then she said that she was pregnant."

"What are you going to do?"

Cam closed his eyes briefly. "I don't know. She knew that I would have proposed marriage right then and there. But she said that she wouldn't marry me unless she knew that I was marrying her for her and not just for the baby."

"And are you?" Lucky removed his glasses and eyed his son. "Do you love her without thinking about the baby?"

Cameron nodded. "Yes, I love her. More than anything. But right now all I can think about is the baby. I mean—I just found out that I'm going to be a father in a matter of months. We never planned for this. Hell, we used protection except for one time" he replied.

"So you need to convince her that," Lucky said. He stood up and walked around the desk, perching himself on the corner.

"Dad, I love her. I do, but all I think about is this—this life that we created by mistake."

"Is is a mistake?"

Cam shook his head quickly. "No, I can't see it as a mistake. It's a huge surprise, but not a mistake. I can't think about anything else other than how am I going to be a good father?"

"You'll be a good father. You had two men—me and Jason—to show you what a good father is. I know that you will do anything for your child—and your child's mother."

"Thanks for that, Dad. I needed that encouragement."

Lucky sighed. He knew that the man he'd called his son, was hurting and wished nothing more that he could solve the problem. But he knew that part of being an adult was learning to solve one's own problems. God knew he'd had his fair share. "Cameron, all I can say it that you need to give it time. Time to sink in. you need to think over everything and make your decisions with Lila."

Cameron nodded and stood up to hug his father. As they connected for a brief second the phone rang. Lucky broke away from Cameron and reached over the computer for the phone. "Commissioner Spencer."

Cam moved toward the door just as Lucky motioned for him to stay. "What? Elizabeth? Okay. That does sound strange. What's the name? Anya Erosa? Okay, I'll look it up. Thanks for keeping an eye and ear open."

He replaced the phone and looked at his son. "It looks like we have a lead. There's a nurse at GH who was lurking outside Lansing's room. Apparently she used her cell to make a call reporting that Lansing was awake. Your mom witnessed it. She's new to town and to the hospital. Elizabeth thought it was worth looking into. Looks like we finally got our break."

With a smile, Cameron followed his father out of the office to begin the day. No matter how much work he had his new life with Lila and their baby was always at the forefront of his mind.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Lila had finally calmed down by the time she was walking into the courthouse. She stepped onto the elevator and waited as it moved up through the floors. She was still shaken up after her confrontation with Cameron.

She wished that her news hadn't come out that way. She'd have preferred to live with the knowledge of her pregnancy for a little while longer and then tell Cameron. That way, she'd know what she wanted to do. But now, it was all out in the open and she had to deal with the aftermath.

Sighing, she walked out as the elevator door opened. Just as she was about to walk to her own office, she saw Alexis Davis motion wildly to her. _Great. _She wasn't in the mood for more work, not with what she already had on her plate. A glance at the clock told her that she was nearly twenty minutes late for work anyway.

But she did as was asked—even if silently—and walked down to Alexis' office. Alexis was on the phone when she walked inside.

"Ric, I told you, I can't represent you. I have way too much on my plate to do it. Yes, I know that if you could, you'd represent yourself. But I don't think that that is a good idea in this instance. I mean, you are still recovering from being shot. Ric, I can't represent you. But I know who can. I will send my best lawyer over to your bedside right now. Who? You will have to wait and see. Have the police come and talk to you? They might have a lead. Okay, I'll stop by later and see how you are doing." She grimaced. "Yes Ric. I'll see you later." With a huff of breath, she slapped the phone down.

She turned a hundred-watt smile on Lila. "Hello Sunshine, how's your day so far?"

Lila shook her head. "It's too bad to really get into. I'm assuming that Ric has awoken." She took the offered seat.

Alexis sat primly in her own chair and nodded. "Yes, he woke up just this morning. Everything is going well, he should be out of the hospital within the week. They are keeping his for observation. But his case is still ongoing and the police might have a lead."

She told Lila about what Elizabeth Morgan had seen and heard and that Commissioner Spencer was looking into it. "Evidently Anya Erosa is originally from Argentina. She moved up here only recently with her brother Mikhail Erosa. The police are looking into him now. They think that he is involved with drug smuggling. Sounds a little like the mob reincarnated to me," she grinned. "I can't figure out how Port Charles always attracts the mob," she added, taking a sip of her coffee.

Lila felt her mouth water as she thought of the coffee she could no longer have. Focusing her attention back on Alexis' face, she spoke, "So do you want me to represent Ric?"

"Yes, that is what I'd like. We don't know what the Erosa siblings have to do with Ric, but when we do and if they are part of his attempted murder, one or both will most certainly be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Would you do that for me?"

Lila looked surprise. "Yes, yes. That's just what I've been looking for. I need to do some research before I talk to him though." She jumped up and gathered her purse and briefcase.

Alexis looked grateful. "Thank you Lila. I really appreciate it. I would do it myself, but I don't think that I should considering that he is my ex-husband and father to my daughter." She too stood up and walked to the office door. "Let me know what you find out."

Lila nodded and with a wave, walked down the hall toward her office. This was much better than anything else she'd been planning to do. And it was the perfect thing to get her mind off of Cameron and their baby.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Jax Jacks stood in the window of his penthouse office at the Metrocourt. From where he stood, he had a perfect view of the ELQ offices; which meant that he saw her the moment she walked out onto the snowy sidewalk.

Seeing her look so confident and professional made him burst with pride. He didn't know how he and Carly lucked out. After all those years of miscarriages and lost hope, they'd become pregnant and ended up with this beautiful, smart woman. And to add to the joy, they'd netted a second daughter four years later.

Watching Rachel walk with a confidant air made both sadness and joy wash over him. It seemed like only yesterday that she was a seven year old asking for a puppy and now she was a college graduate with a business venture on her mind.

Rachel was an amusing and unique combination of both himself and Carly. She had inherited not only her mother's blond hair and brown eyes, but her fiery personality and determination. On the other hand, she'd somehow inherited his love of business and diplomacy. These qualities made for an interesting and complex woman.

He watched her cross the street and walk toward the hotel entrance. He knew why she was coming to him. Carly had said that her business venture was the only thing she'd been talking about for weeks. And although he fully planned to invest, he wanted to give her the chance to come to him as an associate, rather than as a daughter. This act, he knew, marked her independence.

He knew when she entered his office even before his assistant announced her. smiling now, he walked around the desk to the door and opened it just as his assistant came to notify him.

"Mr. Jacks, your daughter Rachel is here. She'd like to speak with you."

"Thank you Shannon. Tell her to come back."

The blond spitfire calmly walked into the office carrying a slim folder. Smiling at her father, she took a seat on the opposite side of the desk. "Daddy."

"Rachel." Jax sat in his own chair and waited.

Rachel opened the folder and pulled out two stapled packets. Handing one to her father, she opened the other and set it in front of her. Then she looked him in the eye and prepared to begin her spiel. "I have a proportion for you."

"Oh?" he glanced at the heading of the papers.

She nodded sharply. "I have created a plan to furnish my dream job. As I have outlined, I want to open a boutique. This will be a specialty boutique that will cater to New York City styles in Port Charles. It will feature designer brands that are sold in department stores such as Saks or Neiman Marcus. My plan is to also have an internet catalogue that will reach around the country. _Lady's Court _is bound to be a success for many reasons. First of all, I have access to one of the largest fashion magazines in the country and along with _Crimson_ comes Maxie Jones. Additionally, _Crimson _just settled a huge deal with _Fusion _so they fit right in with the style of my boutique. And lastly, this boutique will be a success because I will make it one. I don't do things in a small way and to my mind, if one can't do something good, why do it at all." She pointed out her goals and plans in the proposition before continuing. Jax nodded as he read along.

"I have already calculated the start-up costs and all that I am asking from Jacks Industries is that you would be willing to invest to make it better. I have ran the numbers many times over and they prove that this will be a success. If you agree, I plan for the opening date to be in late summer of next year," she finished breathlessly, like a marathon runner.

Jax looked up at her and smiled inwardly. He was so proud of this woman who had come from him. He nodded and set the papers aside. And although he fully intended to agree to this proposition, he needed to treat her like any other business associate. "I think that you are right. I will, however, need to read over this myself. I will be treating this as if it were any business arrangement."

She nodded. "I would expect nothing less of you. Please let me know what you think." She stood up, slipped her coat over her arms and walked to the door. "Daddy? You know that I will expect nothing less than a success." And with that, she was gone.

Jax waited until he'd heard the outer office door close. Smiling now, he reached for the phone. He would call his accountant and set up an account for Rachel's use. Evidently, Jacks Industries would be gaining a new enterprise. He had no doubt that Rachel would be a success; because he and Carly had always taught their children to dream big and to not let things get in the way.

Obviously Rachel had taken this lesson to heart.


	34. Some Mistakes an't be Taken back

Lila sat down at her computer and opened the internet. Using the police departments search engine, she typed the name _Mikhail Erosa_ into the program. Waiting for the results to pop up, she tapped her fingers on the desk impatiently. As she did her mind wandered to her current predicament.

Part of her wished that she wasn't in the pregnancy situation. If she had never had one drunken night with Cameron, she wouldn't be pregnant right now. She thought of that night two months ago.

_**Flashback**_

_Lila sat on the corner bar stool staring at her beer. She'd had one hell of a day. She'd been in court all day debating a case regarding drinking and driving. A local teen had spent one night out partying and had topped the legal level for blood alcohol. Then that teen had proceeded to drive home. While driving on a darkened road, that teen had sped out of control and slammed into another car carrying a pregnant woman and her sixteen year old daughter. The daughter had been killed and the mother had been in a coma in the two months since the accident. _

_Lila had been acting as a public defender for the accused teen and it wasn't looking good. Even though she knew the driver was guilty, she didn't want this child who'd made one mistake to go to jail for the rest of his life. _

_She sighed and took another sip of her beer. It was her second one tonight. She was planning on drinking herself into oblivion and then pay a cab to pour her at her apartment door. It would be better than sitting at home while wallowing in her insufficiency as a lawyer. _

_"Hey." The word came from behind her. She glanced behind her and through bleary eyes, made out the general form of a man. _

_"What?" she asked shortly. She took another swig of the beer and didn't even try to figure out who the male form was._

_"What's up with you this fine evening?" Cam asked, taking a seat next to Lila and motioning at Coleman. He ordered a beer and turned to face the sullen woman next to him._

_"Speak for yourself," she grumbled, frowning before taking a glance as to whom exactly was sitting next to her. "Cameron."_

_"Thanks for noticing. Just how many have you had tonight?" he asked, motioning to the half-empty beer bottle. _

_"Enough."_

_"Oh come on Lila, give it up." _

_Coleman swaggered over and dropped the beer in front of Cameron. "She's have plenty tonight. A little thing like her can't drink too much." With a nod to Cam, he walked to the other end of the bar. "I'll make coffee."_

_"I don't want…or need coffee," she mumbled. She raised her bottle as if motioning for another. Cam shook his head and took the bottle from her. _

_"I think that you've had enough. Tell me what's wrong, Sugar."_

_"Leave me alone, _Sugar_," she slapped out. And motioned again for another beer. _

_"I heard about court today. You know that he's guilty and deserves whatever the judge doles out," Cameron commented, knowing that it would get her fired up. _

_She turned on him, furious. "What he deserves? He's a child! A child—"_

_He cut her off. "A child who took the life of another child."_

_"He's a child who made one grave mistake. He doesn't deserve to go to jail for the rest of his life and that's what he's going to get. You can't tell me that you have never drank too much and then driven home."_

_Cam nodded. "No, but I never caused an accident. He killed one person and put two more in a coma—if you count the unborn child," he added. He took a small sip of the beer. _

_"He has already paid for his mistake. The guilt alone is enough punishment. I just want to keep him out of jail for the rest of his natural life."_

_"So you are drowning your lack of skill in court in a beer tonight. Smooth choice, Einstein," he finished. Then he did something that was unexpected. Leaning closer, he whispered in her ear, "the whole day that I watched you work in court, I imagined doing this…" _

_He placed a tender kiss on her lip and she felt herself become drawn in and moved closer to him. He deepened the kiss and she felt herself stray close to that edge. Then somewhere in her alcohol-induced haze, she stepped back. _

_"Cam, no. we can't do this." She used her hands to push away but he resisted and pulled her closer. _

_"Take a chance Lila. You took a chance on that boy in court, take one on me now." still holding her, he pushed back from the bar and lifted her off the stool. Ignoring Coleman's amused grin, he pulled her towards the staircase at the back of the room. Leading the way up the stairs, they fell together on the old bed in the musty room. _

_They moved out of sync, pulling each other clothes hurriedly and tossing them to the floor. Then, Cam pushed against her and Lila felt herself fall off that ledge of oblivion. _

_**End Flashback**_

The computer beeped to let her know the search was completed. Lila was brought back to the present and blinked her eyes as the winter sun streamed in through the window. She'd been so caught up in her memories that she hadn't realized that the computer was finished.

Shaking her head, she glanced at the screen and smiled when the name had picked up a hit. Clicking the link, she scanned the information, looking for a match of the name. Then she smiled. That was it!

Mikhail Erosa. Son of Marianna Erosa and unknown father. Born in Mar Del Plata, Argentina in July of 2008. Twin to Anya Erosa. Mother died of cancer in 2031. Lila's smile grew as she read on, but then if fell. Mikhail Erosa was employed by Trevor Lansing—Ric Lansing's supposedly dead father. This story just kept getting murkier and murkier.

Sighing, she glanced at the clock and gauged that she could finish her research in twenty minutes and then run to the hospital to speak with Ric Lansing. Maybe, if she was lucky, Mattie could fit her appointment in early so that she wouldn't have to go back later.

It was definitely worth trying anyway.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Spinelli stopped by the East entrance of Port Charles Park. From where he stood, he could see her sitting on the stone bench…very near the steps where her body had supposedly been found some thirty years earlier.

He took a hesitant step inside the park, not quite sure of what to say to the woman he'd once loved.

But she heard him, even though snow covered the ground and deafened any noise. She lifted her head from where it rested on her knees and smiled at the man she'd once thought of as her best friend in the whole world.

"Come to check up on me?"

Spinelli crossed the space quickly now, taking a seat next to her on the cold bench. "You didn't come down for breakfast. Maxie was worried."

Georgie sighed. "I'm sorry." She turned away from him.

Spinelli frowned. "What do you have to be sorry for? None of it is your fault; in fact, it's no one's fault."

"I heard you and Maxie last night—in the kitchen."

Spinelli looked surprise for a moment, but then nodded. "Then you know that I looked you up."

"Yes, and I'm not angry. I'm somewhat relieved."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Then, at least, I don't have to tell you everything. Because I don't know if I could."

"Why don't you try?" Spinelli pressed. He didn't like secrets, and would rather get this one done and over with.

"How can one explain that their family was killed in cold blood? How the hell does anyone expect me to explain that I watched those people murder my husband and daughter? I was forced to witness their execution!" tears spilled from her eyes and she shouted into the empty park.

Spinelli wanted so badly to turn away, to tell her that she didn't have to tell him anything, but he knew that there was no way to do that—not now. "I'm sorry. There's nothing else I can say, but that I'm so, so sorry."

"They were supposed to be safe. The WSB said that they would be protected. Nothing was supposed to happen to them. My beautiful little girl, gone just like that," she cried, the tears making tracks down her face.

"Who?"

Georgie took a breath, wiped the moisture away from her eyes. "I was investigating a drug smuggling ring out of South America. I was the head of the team working that case. We'd been at it for more than a year and we were so close. We even had inside agents. But then it just went so wrong…" her voice broke, and she didn't know if she could continue. But she knew she had no choice. "They were being watched—my daughter and my husband. There were pictures, Amelia coming out of school and dance class, Dante coming out of the coffee shop, going to work. Then they both were kidnapped. They took them and-and they demanded ransom." She covered her face and her body shook from her weeping.

Spinelli pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. He closed his eyes and wished that he hadn't pushed. "I'm so sorry."

She pulled away suddenly. Her eyes went to the empty forest. Her voice sounded hollow when she spoke. "I was working on a lead with my partner. Someone grabbed me from behind. They blind folded me and stuffed me in a car. They took me to an abandoned warehouse. I saw my family tied up. They put me where I could have a perfect view. It was like that for hours. The taunting and teasing. Then they got bored and just started firing off shots…" she sucked in a breath, began again. "One of the shots ricocheted off the wall a-and hit my little girl. It hit her right in the head. She was dead before she fell to the floor. Then, as if for fun, the gunman shot my husband in the chest. Just like that, they were gone." She jumped up, prowled the clearing. "I watched them kill my family in cold blood and now I come back here and everyone expects me to be normal," she cried out and Spinelli felt her pain.

He stood up, walked to her, held her close to him. "I wish that I could help you. But I can't. And I hate that."

She turned to him, kissed his cheek. "I know that you do Spinelli. You always wanted to help and in a way, you have. I've never told anyone what happened exactly. I've never told anyone that I watched them kill my family or that I sat in that room for eight hours with my dead family."

"Oh Georgie."

Then she stopped. "Please don't pity me. I don't usually do this-this falling apart. I have come to terms with this. But I do not need the pity."

Spinelli nodded. He took her hand. "What do you say we go to Kelly's, get some coffee, warm up?"

Georgie smiled now. "That's the best offer I've had in a long time. You know, Spinelli, I'm really glad that you married my sister. You two are perfect for each other." As they walked out of the park, Georgie leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "And Thanks for listening to me rant. I really want to tell Maxie, but I can't. Not right now. So I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell her."

He nodded. "I won't tell her, but I hope that you will do it very soon. I don't like to keep secrets from her. And she really needs to know."

"I know. I just need time to figure out how to tell her."

"All right. Now about that coffee…" Together they walked away from the park and towards the restaurant where they'd met each other.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Cameron sat back and stared at the computer screen. He'd been doing his own research on the Ric Lansing shooting and wasn't all too sure where it was going. He couldn't find the connection between drug boss Mikhail Erosa and Ric Lansing. He'd probably have to go speak with Ric before long anyway.

Sighing, he reached for the photo at the edge of his desk. It was of Lila and had been taken at the Halloween party at the Metrocourt. They were both dressed up in costumes—him as a sheriff and she as Wonder Woman—and were smiling wildly at the camera. More than likely they'd already consumed more than the proper amount of champagne. But the thing that caught his attention was that they were happy. They'd had such a simple relationship just two months earlier and now it was far more complicated.

He set the photo back on the desk and rose to grab his police issue and his jacket. He needed to get to the hospital to speak with Lansing. Then maybe this case would go somewhere.

* * * * *

Cameron came to a stop in front of Ric's hospital room just as Lila rounded the corner. Gone was the fact that they were very much involved when she marched up to him, her mouth set in a line.

"What do you think that you are doing, Detective?"

"I'm going to speak with the victim. I just received word that he was awake," Cam replied, hating the fact that they were all too often on opposing sides.

"Not without his counsel, you aren't," she retorted, smoothly entering the room before Cam had a chance to reply. "Good afternoon Mr. Lansing. I'm Lila Alcazar."

Ric looked up from the magazine he was half-heartedly studying. "Hello" he asked, confused as to why she was at the foot of his bed.

"DA Davis sent me as your counsel…and as it happens, Detective Spencer is here to ask you a few questions. Do you feel up to answering?"

"If it will help find whoever did this to me, then I'm in the best of health," Ric grumbled. He was the cliché man—the worst sort of patient.

Cameron stepped forward. "Okay, first I'd like to know if you received any threats in the days prior to the ball at Wyndemere. Any strange phone calls or letters? Anything out of the ordinary"

Ric frowned, silent as he thought back to those days that already seemed a lifetime ago. Then he shook his head. "No, I can't remember anything. There was nothing that was different."

Cameron nodded, worrying that the lead was already approaching a dead-end. But that was okay, on to the next question. "Okay, is there anyone who could possibly want to hurt you? Anyone who may hold a grudge against you, currently?"

"He means: have you pissed anyone off lately?" Lila interjected dryly. She could already see that this interview was going nowhere.

"You mean other than my ex-wives and my daughters?" he asked only half-serious. It was well known that Alexis only tolerated him because he was the father of her daughter and an associate. Molly couldn't stand him, but would never willingly hurt him. And Sarah believed that he was a giant waste of time and air space, but as a cop, would never intentionally cause him harm. Claudia, on the other hand, thought he was a moron and a pawn, but, like her daughter, wasn't about to put out a hit on him because she knew that there was too many secrets at stake. Then he sobered. "No, I'm sorry, Detective. I can't think of anyone who hasn't already tried to hurt me."

Cameron sighed. It was time to pull out the big guns now. "Okay, counselor. Do you recall a woman by the name of Marianna Erosa?" He expected Ric to shake his head and was thoroughly surprised to see a shadow pass over the man's face. "Mr. Lansing?"

Lila jumped in to his rescue. "Mr. Lansing? Are you all right? Maybe we should stop for now. You just woke up from a coma and we don't want to jeopardize your recovery. We'll stop—"

She was cut off by Ric's headshake. He held up a hand to stop her. "No, I'm fine. It was just a little shock. I haven't heard that name in a long time. Too long."

"So you knew her." This was from Cameron, who had pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil from the pocket of his jacket. Now they are finally getting somewhere.

Ric nodded. "Marianna was employed by my father. Trevor had hired her to seduce me in order to get me to give up the ownership of the Lorenzo Alcazar's waterfront warehouses."

Lila flinched slightly at the name of the father she didn't know. She'd never met him as he'd been shot when she was a baby. She only knew him from her mother's very biased point of view. Skye had once loved him, but had then despised the fact that he was the father of her only child.

"And did she do the job?"

"Yes, she did. That is, until she fell in love with me and I with her. Then she was going to be deported back to—" Ric trailed off, as if he couldn't remember something.

"Argentina," Lila supplied as Ric nodded.

"Yes, Argentina. And because I had fallen in love with her, I offered to marry her in order to keep her in the country."

"And did you?"

"Almost. Then I heard her talking on her cell phone. I didn't know who she was talking to but then I traced the phone call back to my father. She was just a beautiful woman from a poor village in Argentina who had been hired by Trevor to get back at me. I sent her packing after that. Last thing I heard, she'd been deported."

"Have you been in contact since?" Cameron asked, noting the new development down on the paper. Already his mind was racing with possible conclusions. But one was blatant because he could relate at the moment.

Ric shook his head. "No, I haven't talked to her in almost thirty years. Excuse me, Detective. I'm confused here. What does a business deal that went wrong three decades ago have to do with me now?"

"Mr. Lansing. We believe the man involved with your shooting was Marianna's son. Mikhail Erosa. Born in July of 2008," Lila replied coolly. She too could see where this was going and was afraid that the news would cause Ric to have a heart attack.

Ric's face went ashen. His mind was also considering the possibilities—at lightning speed. He mentally counted the months between Marianna's departure and the birth of her son. It was, as he expected and was afraid of, nine months. He looked up at the steely face of Lila Alcazar. "Is there a chance that Marianna was pregnant with my child when she left?"

"You tell me." Cameron replied.

"I-I don't know. Really, I don't know. But I'd like to know. Have you found this Mikhail?" Ric looked worried.

Cameron sighed and shook his head. "Not yet, but we believe that he is here in Port Charles. And the moment we do, we will be questioning him. Rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this and if Erosa did shoot you, then we will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law."

Ric nodded. "Thank you, officer. But I do have one request: when you find him, I'd like a DNA test to find out if he is my son."

Lila spoke up. "Of course, Mr. Lansing. But I do need to let you know something else. According to research, Mikhail Erosa has a twin sister named Anya. So if he is your son, you also have a daughter."

Ric's eyes widened as he took in the information. Lila glanced at Cameron, unsure of what to say. Just then a nurse entered the room and walked to the bed. Lila gathered her purse and jacket and nodded to Cameron.

"I will contact you later when we get more information, Mr. Lansing," Lila said as she and Cameron exited the room. They walked down the hallway toward the nurses' station.

Cameron turned to Lila. "I thought for a moment that Ric was going to have a heart attack."

Lila smiled. "I know, but that reaction is to be expected when you find out that you have a child that you never knew about."

"I can relate to some extent," Cameron replied dryly. Lila slapped his stomach with her briefcase. He laughed as grabbed his abdomen as slight pain skittered across his body. "Ow!"

"Oh don't be a baby," Lila replied. "Are you still coming by later?"

"Yeah, I'll be there. How are you?"

She frowned. "I'm fine. Really, I'm not sick."

"Okay, I promise you that I will _try _not to be one of those neurotic new fathers."

She grinned. "Okay, I'll settle for that." She leaned up and kissed him as he entered the elevator. As the doors closed, she waved.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**


	35. In the Line of Fire

**Author's Note: For the purpose of this story, Michael did not wake up. Patrick didn't perform the surgery to wake him up and Carly and Sonny eventually decided to take him off life support. Obviously I began this story prior to the current storyline on the show and already wrote that Michael had died in previous chapters. Enjoy!!**

Carly Jax replaced the phone and sat back in her chair. Her plush office at the Metrocourt suited her to a tee. The walls were a tan with gold accents that carried into the background of the couch and chairs clustered in the corner. The tidy desk was a deep, rich mahogany and carried a variety of technical gadgets from a computer to her blackberry.

After all, Jax always said that if she didn't love being the hotel manager so much she could always become an interior decorator.

She grinned as she thought of the conversation she'd just had with her husband. Jax had called to tell her the good news that Rachel's dream was finally coming true. Her daughter who was such a compliment of both herself and Jax was a business woman of her own.

Carly didn't know how she'd lucked out so well. Despite many mishaps in her life, she'd made the best choice when she married Jax. He was the best husband and father she could have asked for.

But not only that, Carly didn't know how she'd managed to raise such successful children when her own life had been unsteady for so long. Reaching for a framed photograph of her youngest son she smiled, thinking of Morgan. Despite his difficult childhood, he had turned out to be a wonderful, generous man who was successful in his own way. It was, she thought, ironic how he'd become a police officer when his father had been one of the town's most notorious crime bosses. But regardless of his paternity, Morgan had made something of himself. To add to his success, Morgan was engaged to the town sweetheart.

The fact that her son was engaged to the daughter of the woman she'd despised for years was something that amused Carly to no end. Mattie Drake was the product of Robin Scorpio and Patrick Drake, but she didn't have her mother's brownnosing nature. Either way, she couldn't be happier that Morgan had finally found the woman of his dreams.

Replacing the frame, she picked up a photograph of Rachel. Carly was proud of Morgan and what he became, but she was even more tickled over Rachel because she was the product of the only healthy relationship that Carly had ever had. Rachel was a unique combination of both herself and Jax, which made her daughter a very formidable woman. And Carly was thrilled that Rachel was following her dream of being a business woman. She was glad that Rachel had found her own niche that didn't come with prior influence. It was hard, Carly realized, to be you own self with both of your parents were so influential. But Rachel had managed to carve out her own success.

And then there was her youngest daughter. After the difficult pregnancy that resulted in the birth of Rachel, she and Jax had resigned themselves to the fact that there wouldn't be any more babies. But then she'd began being dizzy and nauseous. At first, she wondered if her medical condition was getting worse. At a doctor's appointment, she'd gotten the most wonderful news she'd ever received in her life: she was pregnant again. Like her pregnancy with Rachel, Kelly had advised against it. But Carly was determined to have the baby so she'd done everything possible for a healthy pregnancy. And her hard work, healthy diet, and bed rest had paid off in spades when she'd delivered her second little girl right on time.

Carly grinned and reached for her youngest daughter's photograph. Of all her children, Victoria Caroline Jax was a carbon copy of her. Victoria always gave them a laugh with her talents and her schemes. Despite her intention to be disapproving of her daughter's actions, Carly rarely was able to keep a straight face when Victoria was around. At sixteen, she was successful in her own right. She had skipped a grade in elementary school so she was a junior in high school and despite her scheming actions, she was a straight A student. Outside of school she volunteered at the hospital and was a national champion for gymnastics.

She replaced the photograph of her grinning daughter. The last photograph of her desk was more than twenty years old. She smiled sadly at the son she'd been forced to bid farewell far too soon. Michael Corinthos III. Her baby boy, the product of an unstable relationship between herself and A.J. Quartermaine and raised by the man who'd eventually killed him. It wasn't that she blamed Sonny for what had happened—God knew that Sonny already blamed himself more than anyone else could—but she regretted that she hadn't been able to protect him, to tell her little boy that he couldn't go to the warehouse that night.

Carly sighed and smiled at the happy little boy her son had once been. No matter how much Sonny had tried to protect him, Michael was doomed from birth. No one was safe in Sonny Corinthos' world. And it had taken tragedy for her to realize that fact. And over the years, Carly had realized that maybe Alexis Davis was right in keeping her own daughter away from Sonny. At least Kristina Davis was alive today.

Carly shook herself out of the sadness and pushed back her chair. Standing, she walked to the closet and used the mirror was attached to the inside of the door. Making certain that the tears hadn't marred her makeup, she calmed herself down. Even after all these years, thinking of Michael and how his life had been a waste made her tear up. But she had moved on and was ready to focus on the future.

And right now, the future was settled on the shoulders of her three remaining children and their successes.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

After watching the door close, Lila turned back to the waiting room of the fifth floor. She was hoping that Mattie could fit her appointment in now instead of later that afternoon. As she walked toward the nurse's station, she spied Elizabeth coming around the corner. Lila came to a sudden halt, unsure of where to go when Elizabeth saw her and smiled.

"Hello Lila!"

Lila walked hesitantly up to the desk and smile slowly. "Hi Elizabeth. How are you?"

"Oh I'm great. You?"

"Wonderful. It's been busy today, but I'm off in a couple of hours. I heard that you and Cameron are together," Elizabeth replied, eyeing the fiery-haired woman.

Lila's eyes widened. "Ooh, we're great. In fact, he's coming to my apartment tonight for dinner." She eyed the hallway and hoped that Mattie would simply appear out of nowhere. Anything to get her out of the line of fire. Because she was definitely not ready to tell Elizabeth that she was carrying her grandchild.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "Oh. Well, that's wonderful. I really think that you and Cameron are good for each other. We need to have lunch and talk."

Lila nodded. "That'd be nice. Call me sometime and we'll set up a date." She hesitated, unsure if she really wanted to get into this with Cameron's mother. "Umm, Elizabeth, do you know if Mattie is busy?"

Elizabeth turned away and looked at the board. "Well, she's out of surgery. Do you want me to page her?"

"That'd be great. Thanks. I'll just wait over here." She moved over to the circle of chairs that was considered that waiting room. Elizabeth picked up the phone and made the overhead call. _Paging Dr. Mattie Drake to the fifth floor nurses' station._

It was several uncomfortable minutes before Mattie came around the corner. Lila had spent those few minutes chewing over her guilt. She didn't like not telling Elizabeth, but didn't want anything to change between her and Cameron just yet. Lila stood up when she saw her friend coming towards her.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I wasn't supposed to see you until later," Mattie asked, concerned. Then she moved closer to her friend. "Are you all right?"

Lila gasped. She frowned and pulled Mattie towards the hallway. "_Not here!" _she hissed.

Mattie glanced behind her and met Elizabeth's quizzical glance. Shrugging, she turned to focus on Lila's problem. "Okay, but you didn't answer my question. What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm here because I am acting as Ric Lansing's lawyer and I was interviewing him. And I was hoping that you could fit me in now, rather than later. Then I don't have to come back."

Mattie brightened. "Well as a matter of fact, I do have an opening. A patient cancelled on me, so I'm free until next hour. Follow me." She led them down the hall to an empty exam room. Entering the room, she handed Lila a gown and a plastic cup. "Put this on and pee in the cup. Bathroom's through that door."

Lila raised her eyebrows. "You want me to _pee _in that little cup? I do have some modesty." But she grudgingly took the offering.

Mattie smiled knowingly and shook her head. "Oh sweetie, you are in for a big surprise. Modesty goes out the window with motherhood. After all, how to do think that baby comes out of you? I'll be back in a few minutes. A nurse will be into take the sample and to take blood." She turned and slipped out of the room. Lila was left alone to consider her friend's words. Sighing, she dropped her coat and purse on the chair, unbuttoned her pants and pulled her sweater over her head.

She slipped the flimsy gown on, frowning at the lack of polite covering. But she sighed, thinking what Mattie had said as she walked into the bathroom. Turning the water on for good measure, she peed into the little plastic cup, putting a sticky tape with her name on it and slipping it in the little window. Washing her hands, she walked back into the exam room and hopped up on the table to wait for the nurse.

When the nurse finally came in and drew her blood, she was beginning to get nervous. Even though she had come to terms with the fact that she was pregnant, she realized that a doctor's appointment would cement that fact. Lila closed her eyes and tried to imagine herself as a mother. She had a difficult time seeing it because it wasn't something she'd planned on.

Some time later, the door opened and Mattie slipped inside, jarring Lila from her daydream. "Thinking of booties and bottles, darling?" Mattie asked her friend quietly. She put a hand on Lila's shoulder.

Lila sighed and shook her head. "Not in the slightest. It hasn't really set in yet." She put a hand on her stomach. "—that I'm pregnant."

"I know, but it will soon enough. Lie back on the table."

Lila shifted so that she lay on her back on the table. Mattie drew the ultrasound machine and situated the blanket over Lila's legs when she opened the gown. "This will be a little cold," she said, squirting the clear gel on Lila's stomach.

"I've always seen that in the movies, but I always thought that it was just an effect," Lila said, cringing slightly when she saw that Mattie was right.

Mattie chuckled. "It's something that we doctors don't tell women until they are already pregnant." She moved the wand over Lila's stomach, watching the screen. Then she smiled and pointed to the screen. "Look it's your baby."

Lila turned her head and followed Mattie's finger. All she saw was a little gray blob but she trusted her friend so if Mattie said that the blob was her baby, then she believed her.

"Everything looks healthy. The heart sounds and looks good. You can see tiny features beginning to develop. In another couple of week, you'll see fingers and toes."

Lila smiled now. she reached out and put a hand on Mattie. Mattie looked at her, worried. "Are you alright, Sweetie?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you Mattie. Thank you for being my friend and for being there when I'm freaking out."

"Oh Lila, you're so welcome. And it just lucks out that I'm an OBGYN when you needed me. You and your baby are so disgustingly healthy that I don't want to see you until next month," she replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh that's what I plan." Lila sat up when Mattie patted her shoulder and finished wiping off the gel.

"I want to take your weight while we are waiting for your blood test results. But seriously, everything looks great. Hop off the table and walk to the scale in the corner."

Lila complied and walked across the room, stepping onto the scale. Mattie came beside her and took her weight. "Perfect weight, but don't get too used to it. 115 is good for now. But I'd guess that if you don't completely let yourself go, you'll gain about 25 pounds."

Lila grimaced. "Really? 25 pounds?"

"Oh yes, and it will go on fast. I do recommend that you keep up with Pilates and yoga though. It's good exercise and you will be glad when it comes to delivery. Speaking of which…" Mattie broke off, turning to Lila's chart. "You said that the first day of your last period was when?"

"Um…Halloween?"

"Okay…so I'd put your due date as June 12," Mattie replied. She stood up and walked to the door. "Good luck. I'll see you for your appointment next month. You can make the date today if you want. Come find me when you've dressed and I'll walk you out."

Lila nodded and waited until Mattie had exited the room. She quickly dressed and fixed her hair and makeup. It was several minutes later until she was ready to leave the room. Exiting the room, she walked toward the nurse's station in search of her friend.

Mattie stood next to Elizabeth who was updating charts. Lila made her way to the counter, an orderly came up to them and handed Elizabeth a stack of folder. She took them and after dividing the stack into two, gave one to Mattie and stuck the others behind the desk for another doctor.

Mattie smiled at Lila. "All set?"

Lila nodded, impatient to leave the desk before discussing any other appointments. She and Cameron weren't even used to the idea that they were going to be parents and she wasn't ready to tell the soon to be grandma. "Yes, I really have to get back to the office. I'll just call your office to make an appointment later."

Mattie nodded. As she did, the files shifted and several fell to the floor. Lila was horrified to see that it was her own file that lay spread across the floor. Elizabeth bent down to pick up and reorganize the files.

"Oh! I didn't mean to do that. Thanks Elizabeth," Mattie gasped, not even thinking about the drastic results if Elizabeth saw Lila's file. But it was too late to consider. Elizabeth frowned and stood up slowly with a bundle of ultrasound pictures in her hand.

She cocked her head and glanced between both Mattie who looked angry at herself for the breach of confidentiality and Lila who wore a look of pure horror on her face. She held out the images to Lila who took them numbly. "I believe these are yours." Saying nothing, she turned and walked away from them, down the hall and out of sight.

Mattie turned around to her friend. "Lila! I'm so sorry. I didn't even realize that your pictures were in there. I'm so, so sorry. I don't even know how to make it up."

Lila shook her head. "It's alright. She'd have to find out eventually. I just didn't plan it this way. I-I, ah, I need to get out of here. I'll call you later or something." She turned and practically ran to the elevator which was opening as she did so. Stepping inside, she was gone a moment later.

Mattie closed her eyes as she recalled Lila's horror. She didn't know how to make it better. She could only hope that Lila would use her sharp mind and some quick thinking to find her way out of the mess she'd placed herself in.

**Okay, so how is it so far? I was thinking about how this story doesn't really having an exact end so it will probably just keep going until I'm tired of writing it. I thank all my readers…and reviewers! Please keep reading and please, please review! If you have any suggestions for characters or storylines that you'd like to read more about, let me know! Thanks and Enjoy!**


	36. Happy Grandma and Overprotective Brother

Lila hurried out of the hospital and down the street toward the pier. She needed someplace to think, to figure out her next move. Everything was different now—now that Elizabeth Morgan knew of the baby she carried.

She hadn't planned to keep the baby a secret; she was simply waiting until she had finally come to terms with it. But now that her baby's grandmother knew of it existence, all of her plans seemed irrelevant.

Dropping to the wooden bench, she stared out over the harbor. Laying a hand on her stomach, she tried to imagine herself as a mother. Would she be one of those neurotic mothers who worried if their child played dirt or ate bugs? Or would she be an easy-going mother who let her baby become black and grubby all day until bath time? She had difficulty seeing herself as either.

On top of that, how would Cameron be as a father? Would he be a little league coach or a ready participant in dress-up and tea party? She hoped that he would be an involved father and knew that if Cameron's father was any example, he would do everything and more to be in this baby's life.

She sighed and sat back. A glance at her watch told her that she should probably be getting back to the courthouse. She figured that if she put in a few more hours, she could still get out in time for Cameron to come over. She hoped that it would happen that way because she knew that they needed to talk. They needed to sit down and calmly discuss what would happen in the next few months.

Lila rose to her feet and trudged up the stairs toward High Street. She still had a lot of work to do before she went home tonight and she might as well get started.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Elizabeth worked on autopilot for the remainder of her shift. When it was finally over, she raced to the nurse's locker room. She stripped off her scrubs and replaced them with street clothes in moments. Without even a glance in the mirror, she raced out of the room toward the elevator. As the elevator opened and she stepped inside, she whipped out her cell phone. She punched out her son's number and tapped her foot impatiently as the ringing filled her ear.

"Hello?"

"Cameron, it's your mother," she said quickly as the door opened to the first floor of the hospital. She hurried out toward the parking lot where she had parked her car.

"Hi Mom. How are you?" Cameron replied slowly. Elizabeth fumbled with her keys as she attempted to balance her cell phone and open her door at the same time.

"Oh I'm good. I was better, but then I learned that my son is making me a grandma and he didn't even tell me." The car door finally gave and she shoved it open. Sliding inside her white Honda—a last testament to her life before marriage to Jason—she waited for her son's answer. "Cameron."

"Ugh, well, Mom."

She smirked slightly. "I thought so. Do you want to tell me why I had to find out because I was filing Lila Rae Alcazar's chart?" she pushed the key into the hole and started the engine.

"Mom, I only found out about the baby this morning. Lila's only known for a few days. It's new to everyone. I haven't even really talked to her about it. We're meeting tonight."

"How do you feel about it?" She put the car into drive and backed out of the parking spot. Easing her car out of the garage and onto the street, she waited for Cameron's answer.

Cam truthfully didn't know how to answer. "Mom. It's all so new right now. I mean, I only found out this morning because I watched Lila nearly faint. I was going to demand that she go to the hospital, but then she told me. She's just as surprised as I am. In fact, I think she's a little freaked."

"That's perfectly normal. Neither of you planned to have a child now," she said, shifting the phone to secure it between her ear and her shoulder.

"I love her, Mom. I truly do. And I want this baby," Cameron replied. He glanced at the clock. It was almost six. He needed to get the Chinese and get over to Lila's.

Elizabeth smiled. "That's wonderful Sweetheart. I think that she complements you very well and she would make the perfect daughter-in-law."

"Whoa, Mom. Hold up. She and I have a lot to talk about before we get to marriage."

She smiled wider. "I know, I know. But you do love her and you are expecting a child with her and you are an honorable man. I know that you will do the right thing. I just wanted to congratulate you, Son. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks Mom. Try not to bombard Lila the next time you see her. She may be tough in the courtroom, but she's pretty shaken up by the whole pregnancy thing," Cameron replied.

"I won't attack her, Cameron," Elizabeth said, as if he were crazy to even suggest a thing. "But I would like to have lunch with her or something."

"I don't think that she would object to lunch. Also, if you could just keep it to yourself for a while. Lila wants to wait to tell people until we decide what happens next."

"I understand. I was the same way when I was pregnant. But, again, congratulations. Bye now Cam. Talk to you later." She closed the phone and dropped it into the center console.

Smiling to herself, she was practically giddy with the knowledge of her future grandchild. She had always hoped that one of her children would fall in love, marry and begin a family. Even though it wasn't exactly in that order, she was thrilled.

She chuckled out loud. Well, the order was irrelevant because she herself hadn't exactly followed that rule either.

Life was a funny thing. She couldn't wait to tell Jason that he was going to be a grandfather.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Anya leaned against the wall of the elevator as she waited for it to deposit her at the door of her and Mikhail's penthouse. She'd just finished a long and tiring shift at the hospital. Granted, it had been an interesting shift.

From what she'd heard outside the hall of Ric Lansing's room, she knew that Mikhail would be interested. Although her brother wouldn't tell her why he was so interested in him, she assumed that he would want to know that the police had been talking to Lansing.

When the door opened, she passed by one of Mikhail's goons, gave a nod and slipped inside the penthouse. Mikhail stood by the window, as he had when she'd left that morning.

He turned when she dropped her big bag on a chair and hung her jacket in the hall closet. "Anya, I would have sent the car. You don't need to be out alone at night."

She groaned, tired of his overprotection. "I'm _fine._ It was a 10 minute walk and I am perfectly safe to be alone outside. I am a grown woman, Mikhail—the same age as you. There is no need to be so protective."

"Still you are my baby sister—"

"By ten minutes," she interjected, stomping to the kitchen for some food. She was always starving after a busy day.

"And those ten minutes—however measly—still makes me your big brother. And I am only doing what Granpapa asked me to do." He followed her to the kitchen. She stood in front of the sink, staring out at the light snow that was starting to fall.

"Well I'd appreciate if you'd try to do it a little less," she replied. Then she smiled to herself. Turning around, she raised an eyebrow. "Mikhail, I don't suppose you'd like to know that the cops were interviewing Ric Lansing today."

He frowned, his mouth setting into a straight line. "Really. Well. I have work to do." He walked quickly out of the kitchen and reached for his cell phone.

"Jorge! I need an update on Lansing," he barked into the cell phone causing Anya to wince. Mikhail frowned and moved to the window. He looked out over the bay toward the hospital. As if he could look in on Ric Lansing from the penthouse.

Anya shook her head and stomped upstairs. Her brother needed to get his priorities into order. She was annoyed and peeved at his belief that she couldn't protect herself. As if. She snorted and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door and stepping out of her clothes. She pulled on a velour sweat suit and sat down on the bed with a book.

She needed space from Mikhail before she blew up at him. It wasn't that she hated her brother. It was just that she needed space from his constant worrying. Sighing, she settled back into the pillows and into her book

**Another chapter done! I'm sorry for not updating sooner. I've been super busy. But I should be able to update more often from now on. I've also been debating on where this story will go from here. As it stands, it will continue indefinitely. I would love reviews!! Thanks in advance. **


	37. Wedding Plans and Baby Gifts

The sun had set over the city as Mattie came out of the building and walked toward her car. She was on her way over to her aunt's house to talk wedding. Part of her was excited because it meant that she was getting married to her best friend and the love of her life. On the other hand, she knew that Maxie was bound to go overboard on the wedding details.

Mattie eased her car onto the road and shook her head for even think that way. It didn't matter how many hoops Maxie made her jump through. It didn't matter as long as she and Morgan made it to the altar. She just wanted to be married, but knew that Maxie…and her father for that matter, would kill her if she eloped. And Carly—oh God, that was not a door she'd like to open.

She might as well just shut her mouth and do what she was told.

Within minutes, she was pulling her car into her aunt's driveway. She shut off the engine and climbed out. Gathering her purse, she hurried to the front porch and rang the doorbell. Spinelli opened the door and smiled at her as he moved aside to let her inside. He shivered at the freezing temperatures and hurriedly shut the door.

"How's my favorite doctor this evening?"

She smiled. "Tired. It was a long day. I was half-tempted to cancel tonight. But I knew that Maxie would kill me if I waited any longer to discuss wedding plans." She dropped her purse on the floor as Spinelli eased her coat from her shoulders.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee? Food? We just finished dinner. Maxie made tuna casserole." He hung the coat in the closet and ushered her through the foyer into the living room. The television was on low and Fiona sat flipping through a magazine on the couch.

Mattie turned and grinned at Spinelli. "Um, no. I'm good. Just tired." She sat next to Fiona and glanced at the magazine. "Whatcha readin' about?"

"Nothing," Fiona grumbled and jumped up, racing out of the room.

Mattie looked at Spinelli with raised eyebrows. "What's wrong with her?"

He shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Maxie blames it on her being a teenager."

"I don't miss those days."

"Miss what day?" Maxie called, walking into the room as she dried her hands on a dishtowel. She threw the towel at Spinelli and hugged Mattie. "I'm so glad that you're here!"

"Yeah. I'm sorry that I'm late. I had a mom deliver just as my shift was getting over and I felt that I should stay and help."

Maxie grinned, thinking of when her own children had been delivered. "That's fine. You're here now and that is all that matters. I'll be right back. I have to get my books." She raced out of the room and headed for the stairs.

Mattie's eyes widened as she sunk back into the pillows. "Whew! She's too excited for me. I'm on the back end of a twelve hour shift and haven't eaten in more than six."

"I offered you food. I will go make something." Spinelli started for the kitchen, but Mattie stopped him.

"No no. I'm fine. I really am. I'm not that hungry. Deliveries always make me run on adrenaline for a while," She said quickly. Spinelli hesitated, sighed and sat down on the chair instead.

Maxie returned with a clatter, carrying several books. Spinelli rose quickly to take them from her. She smiled gratefully and dropped to sit next to Mattie. "Okay, here it begins. First of all, you are still dead-set on getting married in three weeks?"

Mattie nodded. "Yes, I just want to be married. I'm not too concerned with the details of the ceremony."

"See that's where I come in. You tell me what you have in mind and all you will have to do is show up on New Year's Eve at Queen of Angels," Maxie said, reaching for one of her gigantic notebooks. "Here's what I have in mind…"

She opened the notebook and Mattie's mouth dropped open in surprise. She closed her eyes and touched the picture. Then she looked up at Maxie's face. Tears dripped out of her aunt's eyes. "How did you know?"

"I just thought that you would look good in those colors. If you saw how it turned out, then it might give you some ideas," Maxie whispered, afraid that her voice would break.

"That's perfect," Mattie breathed. She flipped through the book, her eyes on Robin's forever smiling face.

"You favor her so it would work."

Mattie turned and threw her arms around her aunt. "Thank you. That was exactly what I needed."

Maxie laughed out loud. "I think that a wedding is what we all need. You and Robin are so much alike that everything will work out perfectly. Now go. I know that you are exhausted. You need to sleep and maybe a little visit from Morgan." She grinned, stood and pulled Mattie to her feet.

Moments later, Mattie was out of the door and on her way home. Maxie shut the door and turned to face Spinelli. He rose and came to meet her. Closing her in a hug, he laid his lips on hers and she felt herself begin to sink into him.

He pulled back and looked at her. "You did a good thing today, Maximista. Mattie needed that memory of her mother. As much as she won't show it, she misses Robin. Especially in a time like this."

"I know. I miss Robin especially at a time like this." Maxie hugged Spinelli again. He grinned at her.

"You know that the girls are safely in bed. How about a romantic night in front of the fireplace?"

She smiled. "It's just like old times." She kissed his again and started for the stairs. "I'll be right back…"

She darted up the stairs and Spinelli headed for the kitchen. An occasion like this deserved a nice Italian wine.

And perhaps an occasion like this is exactly what they two of them needed to relive the past.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Cameron juggled the paper bag of Chinese food and the gift box he'd picked up on a whim. When the elevator door opened, he calmly walked down the hallway toward Lila Rae's apartment even though his feet wanted to run ten times faster.

Shifting the bags, he managed to knock on the door without dropping a single bag. Moments later, the door opened and Lila stood in front of him. She moved aside to let him in and shut the door behind him.

He set the food bag on the coffee table and presented her with the wrapped gift box. She took it and raised an eyebrow. "Blue paper? Are we stating an opinion here?"

"Well…they didn't have any pink wrap."

She nodded skeptically. "_Sure_. What is it?" She shook the box, could hear a faint rattle. Then she ripped into it. And came out up with a fuzzy yellow duck. "Oh! That's adorable. It's the baby's first gift." She studied the duck, surprised that she was getting so emotional over a stuffed toy.

Cameron looked down, slightly embarrassed. "I didn't know what to get. But the sales lady said that stuffed animals were a good bet."

She set the duck on the table and wrapped her arms around his neck. Placing a kiss on his lips, she smiled. "It's perfect. And so are you. See, you're being a good dad already."

"Well thanks. I-I also brought dinner."

Her smile widened. "I would hope so. I'm starving. I've never eaten so much in my life. But I just can get enough. Mattie says that I will get fat. I don't want to get fat."

Cam stopped her from taking the food out of the bag. "Hey, don't worry about getting fat. You're supposed to get fat. That way our baby will be healthy. And I love you, no matter what size you are." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You always say just the right things at the right time. That is one of the reasons I love you," she said, laying her head on his shoulder.

"One of the reasons?" he asked suggestively. He raised an eyebrow in question. Lila grinned and nodded.

"You know what? I think that I'm not so hungry for food right now. I think that all I want is you, Cameron Spencer. Think that you can settle that ache for me?"

"I think that I can," he said, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the bedroom.

It was all that would be said concerning dinner for a while.

**----------------------------**

Lila shifted so that her head was resting on Cameron's chest. "I missed that. This, being with you." She lifted her hands to accent her words.

He wrapped his hand around her shoulders and turned her so their lips met. "I did too. But it is okay, right? It's okay to have sex? It won't hurt the baby?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No. It's perfectly fine. We're both fine. I love you Cameron."

"Say that again?" he kissed her hair, breathing in her sweet scent.

"I love you a million times over."

"And I you. Now I think that it is time I feed my girlfriend and our future child." He shifted her so that the covers were still around her body when he rose from the bed. He walked to the door, obviously unencumbered over his naked body. Lila said nothing, but let herself take in the view.

Minutes later, Cameron returned with plates full of food. Lila breathed in the tantalizing smell. She sat up and reached for the food. Cam went back into the front room to retrieve a glass of milk.

She made a bland face when he handed her the glass. "I hate milk."

"I know, but it's good for the baby. And because you love me, you'll drink it."

She muttered a few threats that were humanly impossible, but took a sip just to please him. He handed her a fork and she took a piece of chicken. They said nothing for several minutes as they both ate ravishingly.

When they'd gotten their fill of food, Cam took the plates back to the kitchen—but not before making certain that Lila drank every bit of the milk. She grumbled mostly for show.

When he returned, she was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a robe. Her face was serious now. "Before we go any further, we need to talk."

"Okay." He reached for his own robe and tying it securely, taking a seat across from her on the armchair she kept in the room for such purposes. "First of all, you need to know that I love you. No matter what. I love you and our baby."

"I know that you do. That isn't in question here. But we need to figure this out. But at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I need to say that I won't agree to marry you…not right now," she fingered the bedspread as she spoke.

"I know, but I can promise you that I will prove to you that I love you for you and not because of the baby."

"Cameron, I can see where you are coming from. I know that you are an honorable man and that you stand up to your mistakes." She held up a hand to stop him from speaking. "And I know that our baby is not a mistake, but you get my point."

"Lila, I just want to be a part of our baby's life. I want to go to all of your doctor's appointments and birth classes and the delivery. Where we go from there is up to you. I just hope that you won't shut me out of this baby's life," he took her hand even as she shook her head.

"No. I want you to be a part of this child's life. In fact, I need you to be a part of the baby's life. This baby is a Spencer and much as an Alcazar and it needs to be a part of your crazy Spencer clan. Your parents and Lulu and Nickolas Cassadine, they are all family," she replied, smiling. And thinking how lucky her child was to be a part of a wonderful family.

"That's good as my parents already know about it," Cam said hesitantly. He watched her eyes for a flicker of anger, but when there was none, he relaxed.

"I know that Elizabeth already knows. You told Lucky?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes, I didn't know what to do."

She smiled at the nervous father-to-be. "That's okay. I want your family to be a part of this baby's life, even this early." She hesitated. "My family on the other hand, well, I'm not really planning to tell my mother right now. Skye's, well, she's Skye. And if she knew that I was pregnant, she'd be on the next plane here. And, well, I love her, but we do better at a distance."

Cameron laughed and hugged her. Her eyes widened as she remembered. "Oh!" She jumped up from his embrace and hurried to her dresser. She picked up the ultrasound pictures and handed them to him. "Congratulations Daddy! Here's your son or daughter's first picture. I think that it's that little white blob right there." She tapped the center of the grayish paper.

He studied it, trying to make out a baby. "I can't see it."

She shrugged. "Well, maybe in a few more months. By the way, you can keep those. I have copies."

He set the photos on the nightstand and cast Lila a long look. "Is there anything else to say?"

She grinned mischievously. "No, I'd say that the talking portion of our evening is finished. And the eating portion."

"Well then. Can we get on with the rest of our evening?" He took her in his arms and placed a long kiss on her neck, her cheek, her lips. Kisses rained down her body, over her breasts and onto her belly. He gently framed her flat stomach as if giving the child a hug. She laid a hand over his and returned the kiss.

"I think that we can," she breathed as he laid her on the bed and covered her with his long body.

She couldn't even think of a better way to spend an evening.


	38. Longing for Home

Alex Quartermaine awoke when she sun hit her face. She blinked against it as she pushed back the covers and climbed out of the bed. A glance at her alarm clock told her that she had a little over an hour before she needed to leave for school.

Even so, she hurried to wash her face and brush her teeth. She quickly applied light makeup and brushed her hair into a topknot. It only took her fifteen minutes to be completely dressed. After all, she was anything if not prompt.

Alex raced out of her room and headed down the stairs for the kitchen. Most of her family was still asleep sans for her mother and brother. She walked into the kitchen and saw her mother standing at the sink.

Starr Thornhart stood in front of the sink, nursing her single cup of coffee that she allowed herself. She was dressed for school already. Alex shifted the chair slightly to get her mother's attention and Starr turned around quickly.

"Oh Alex, I didn't know that you were already awake." She moved to the refrigerator to grab the milk and handed it and a box of cheerios to her daughter.

Alex shrugged and reached into a cabinet for a cereal bowl. She moved back to the table to eat her breakfast. "Yeah, I woke before my alarm."

Starr nodded, saying nothing. She could tell that her daughter was not up for small talk. And she knew that Alex had something on her mind. "Alex, what's wrong?"

Alex made to move to show that she'd heard her mother. Starr sighed and walked over to the table, taking a seat across from the blond girl. "Alex."

"Nothing," she mumbled, stuffing cereal into her mouth. Maybe if she had enough in her mouth at once, Starr wouldn't question her.

No such luck.

"Alex, tell me what's wrong. I know you. And you don't stay mad for long. Now you're just pouting."

Alex frowned, dropped her spoon into the bowl with a clang, and shifted so that she could look her mother in the eye. "I may be pouting, but I have good reason."

Starr lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? And what is this good reason?" Even though she had a thought as to what it was already.

"I want to live with Dad."

Starr frowned. She'd expected that this was coming. After that weekend, Alex had spent in Port Charles, she'd been cranky and obstinate. Qualities that were all too common in a Quartermaine.

"I want to live in Port Charles with Dad and Grandma Tracy. I want to live at the Quartermaine Mansion and go to school at Port Charles High School. But I don't want to hurt your feelings, Mom," Alex's voice hitched at the end and Starr could see that she was sincere.

"I know that you want to live with your Dad. And I know that you wouldn't intentionally hurt my feelings. But is it so bad that I want you here, in Llanview, with me?" Starr hated that she was getting emotional. So much for tough love.

Alex's face fell. She jumped up from her chair and came around to hug her mother. "Oh no, Mom. I'm sorry. Look, forget that I even said anything. I'm sorry. I'll stay here, I promise and visit Dad during summer vacation." She glanced at the clock and gave her mother one last squeeze. "I have to go. I have to get to school early anyway. I'll see you later."

She flashed a grin and raced out of the room. Starr wiped the tears away and stood up, angry with herself for becoming emotional. She was playing her daughter, unintentionally playing her. She hadn't planned on acting like that. And now she had to fix it.

Standing up, she picked up half-eaten bowl of cereal and walked it to the sink. After washing the dishes, she made her way upstairs to wake her sons. As she did, she began formulating a plan to keep her child happy.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Dillon Quartermaine sat at the breakfast table in the Quartermaine dining room. Once a lively occasion filled with backstabbing and screaming threats, breakfast was now a solemn affair that was Dillon completed mostly by himself.

He spooned up some oatmeal that had been prepared by Francois, his mother's new French cook. Spread out around him was a variety of newspapers, from the Port Charles Gazette to the Los Angeles Times to the Chicago Star. Even though he was mostly interested in only the entertainment section, he forced himself to keep up on the political and business affairs of the world.

But he was distracted today.

He thought of his daughter and wondered what she was doing right now. Was she still asleep or was she enjoying breakfast as well? He thought of her words to him before she'd left two weeks earlier. She'd asked him, in very plain terms, if she could come and live with him.

Wasn't that what he'd wanted all along? Then why was he stressing out over it?

It wasn't that he didn't want Alex to live with him. It was just that he'd never really had the chance to be a father and he wasn't sure that he could now that she was nearly grown up.

All the times that he'd argued with Starr and threatened legal action over her custody of their daughter, he hadn't really wanted to be a father—not a full time father anyway. It was more because he wanted to cause Starr pain.

But now, did he want his daughter to live with him? Yes he did, Dillon told himself, he wanted her to be with him, to live with him and Tracy in Port Charles. He wanted to be a father, a good father, a better father.

He pushed his bowl away just as the dining room door opened and the maid, Maggie, walked inside. She carried the cordless phone.

"Mister Quartermaine? The phone for you. It's a Mrs. Thornhart."

He looked up, surprised. But rose to take the phone nonetheless, "hello Starr."

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Mattie rolled over and slammed the sleep button on her alarm clock. She knew that it was time to get up. After all, it was six-thirty and she was supposed to start her shift at eight, so she really should get up.

But she didn't want to disturb her little moment of peace.

She shifted in the bed, so that she was facing her gorgeous husband-to-be. Morgan lay on his side, awake and smiling at her. "Hey Beautiful."

She leaned in to kiss him. "Good morning yourself. Do we really have to get up? I would so much rather stay in bed all day."

He chuckled and shifted, throwing the covers off and getting to his feet. He ran a hand over his face, thinking that he should use the extra time to shave. He was getting awfully scraggly. "I wish, but getting up only means that we are beginning the day. And that only means that it is one day less until our wedding."

She smiled and sat up, throwing her feet over the bed to meet the floor. "Yes, one less day until the rest of our life."

He leaned over to kiss her again and raised an eyebrow. "You know, I'm certain that the hot water tank for the apartment isn't huge and doesn't Sarah have to take a shower too? Maybe we could conserve some water and shower together?" he asked suggestively.

Mattie rolled her eyes, but allowed Morgan to pull her to her feet. She leaned up and placed a kiss on him and he lifted her shirt over her head. As they entangled together, they managed to walk to the bathroom.

Still kissing Mattie, Morgan reached to turn on the shower and after stripping off his clothes and hers, pulled her inside.

As the steam fogged the windows, they explored each other…and tried to actually take a shower.

**------------------------------**

Mattie sat at the breakfast nook in the little kitchen, watching as Morgan fixed them breakfast. Granted, it wasn't a four course affair, but oatmeal and toast was just as sexy.

She couldn't believe what they'd done in the shower. It was something totally new…and totally fun. If it worked out, they might just have to do it again.

But maybe at Morgan's apartment next time.

She was horrified at the thought of Sarah walking in on them. She owed her friend and roommate the right and privacy of being able to use her own bathroom in her own apartment. At least Morgan understood.

Mattie smiled. That was what she loved about him. He was so understanding. He didn't balk when plans changed, when things didn't go as planned. That was part of the reason he was so appealing.

And his killer bod didn't hurt at all.

Morgan set the bowl on the table in front of her with a thump, bringing Mattie back from her reverie. She grinned and picked up the spoon. Just as she was about to take a bite, Sarah's door opened and she stomped out into the living area.

Mattie set the spoon down with a glance at Morgan. She folded her hands and waited until her friend had dropped into the opposite chair.

"What's wrong?"

"I hate Jacob Martin Spencer," she said quickly. She nodded her thanks to the cup of coffee that Morgan had placed in front of her.

"Just the other day, he was the best thing since sliced bread," Mattie said dryly. She was laughing on the inside, but out of respect to one of her best friends, kept it quiet. Sarah had spent more than three years with a relationship with Jake Spencer. It was constantly hot and cold, so much so that Mattie knew not to worry too much.

"Well, now he could be moldy bread for all I care," she muttered, taking a sip of the coffee and scalding her tongue in the process. She probably deserved it.

Morgan chuckled and stood up to drop a kiss on Mattie's face. "I have to go. I'll leave the two of you to sort this out. Should I tell Jake that he's being compared to moldy bread?" He walked to the door before adding, "I'll call you later, Mattie. How about dinner tonight?"

"That would be nice. I don't get off until seven tonight, so it will be a late dinner. I'll call you at my break."

Morgan waved as he shut the door. The girls could hear his motorcycle start up as he raced away.

Sarah frowned at herself. "Oh Mattie, I'm sorry. I disturbed your breakfast. I shouldn't have come in like that."

Mattie shook her head. "No, no, Sarah. It's your house too. You have the right to come home whenever you want. Now tell me what happened?" She dropped into a chair and eyed her friend.

Sarah sighed. "He is a chauvinistic pig. He's just annoying. We fight all the time because he _has _to be right…ALL THE TIME. And he is always so worried when I go to work or whatever. I don't think that he likes me being a cop."

"But you're crazy about him," Mattie murmured.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he's gorgeous, and wonderful, and exasperating. He's an absent-minded artist who needs a keeper. And he loves me. It's just that we can't ever agree on anything! If I want Thai, he wants Chinese. If I want to go out, he wants to stay in. We can't even compromise."

"Oh sweet pea, you have it bad," Mattie replied. "I think that the two of you are crazy about each other. You might as well make it official because it sounds as though you can't live without each other."

Sarah shrugged. "If only things were that easy. See, Jake doesn't move fast for anything. I don't think that marriage has crossed his mind at all."

"That's what you get for falling in love with an artist." Mattie smiled, rose to her feet and walked around the table to gather her friend in a hug. "It will be okay. I think that you and Jake are good for each other. Just give it a little time."

She walked toward the bedroom. "I have to go. I have to get to work. Morgan being here this morning made me lose some time. We—got carried away in the shower."

Sarah's jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed. "Okay Mattie. I love you, but that's a little TMI. Nothing personal. But I don't really like to imagine my cousin in that way."

Mattie walked away, her laugh twittering down the hallway.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Miranda stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror at Wyndemere. She was beginning to worry because she was looking so rundown. Even James, Spencer's butler, had noticed that she was looking pale and more tired than usual.

She wanted to equate it to her busy life. Because God knew that she led a hectic one. But part of her worried that it was something more.

She sighed and grabbed her hairbrush, dragging it through her dark espresso-colored hair. She quickly applied makeup and finished tying her hair back into a professional bun at the nape of her neck. She needed to get moving because she was supposed to head back to Pine Valley today.

Even if she wanted nothing more than to stay with Spencer in Port Charles.

But Miranda was anything if not loyal and knew that she was obligated to return to work at the Miranda Montgomery House. It had been her mother's baby, but now it was her life. And after all the money they'd raised at the charity ball, she needed to get back to work and make the money worthwhile.

At least Christmas was only a few weeks away, because then she'd be back in Spencer's arms. And maybe she'd get to catch up on some rest and relaxation.

She walked out of the bathroom as Spencer came into the bedroom with a tray of coffee. "Good Morning."

"I intercepted these from James. I wasn't sure what state of dress you were in." He handed her a cup and she took a sip, the coffee not setting well with her sensitive stomach. But she ignored that niggling worry and walked to the closet. Pulling out a suitable traveling suit, she slipped on a new pair of underwear and a bra. Within moment, she was dressed and adding a careful layer of jewelry.

"I have to get back to PV today. I need to get back to Montgomery House. I've been away too long," she said, practically hopping on one foot as she tried to put her shoes on. She reached for a piece of toast off the breakfast tray and took a small bite, waiting to see how her stomach would handle it. It went down okay, so she devoured it quickly.

Spencer chuckled and reached for the phone. "I'll ring James and have him bring up something more substantial. Obviously you're hungry."

She finished the toast and smirked at him. "It's your fault, you know. I mean, we got a lot of exercise last night." She placed her makeup bag in her carryon and closed it. She kept a supply of clothing and personal items at Wyndemere, but there were some things that it was too difficult to have duplicates of.

He raised an eyebrow and followed her out of the room. "My fault? I seem to remember that you had no trouble keeping up." He stopped her from descending the stairs, pushing her against the wall. He lowered his mouth to hers and devoured her in much the same way she done with her toast.

When he came up for breath, Miranda took that opportunity to speak. "Wow. That's a nice going-away present. Makes me want to come back soon."

"That's the plan. I hate being away from you so much," Spencer replied, letting her slip past him and walk down the stairs. He followed closely behind.

She sighed and dropped her bag to pull her coat from the closet. "I know, but we both have responsibilities and soon it will be Christmas and I'll be back anyway. I love you Spencer Cassadine."

He pulled her against him in a hug. "I love you too Miranda. You don't know how happy I am to hear that."

She pulled away. "I really have to go. I need to get back to Pine Valley by this afternoon. I'll call you!" She called as she walked out of the door and down toward the launch. Spencer watched her navigate the slippery path until she'd disappeared from his sight.

He turned back toward the house to begin the work day. At least if he worked himself to distraction for another ten days, Miranda would be back in his arms again.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So, another chapter done. I have decided an ending for this story so it will be probably another four chapters or so. I realize that this story can't go on forever (and I have another storyline formulating as I write this now). I hope that you are still enjoying my story. Please review, they make my day! ENJOY!**


	39. Dangerous Attractions and Love Renewed

**Author's Note: WARNING! This chapter contains content that may not be suitable for young children. Well…when is any soap opera suitable for young children? But you get the point. Enjoy!**

Rachel Jax replaced the phone and sat back in her chair. A glance at the clock told her that it was only twenty minutes after ten and she was already overly productive. She had just completed a phone call with Kendall Hart herself. She was now a partner with _Fusion_.

And she was ecstatic. But she was smart and professional enough to keep a cool outward appearance.

Rachel turned around and picked up the deed to the warehouse she was planning on purchasing. It was on the waterfront and would serve her well for holding her products. And at least it wasn't near any of the mob's warehouses. She needed to get down there and meet with the realtor. She wanted the deal to be finalized and finished soon.

She grabbed her coat and purse and dialed the realtor's phone number on her cell. Within minutes, she ensured a meeting down on the peers. With a last glance at her office, she hurried out of the door toward her car.

Fifteen minutes later, she was parking her car in the lot that was just adjacent to the warehouse. As there was no other car, she knew that her realtor wasn't there yet. But that was okay, she'd take a little look around herself.

Rounding the corner, Rachel pulled her coat closer. It was unseasonably chilly—even for December in Upstate New York. She walked up to the door of the first warehouse, aware that it was the one she'd been looking at. Standing in front of it for a moment, she envisioned the elegant sign announcing that his dilapidated warehouse was the home of _Lady's Court. _

She couldn't help but smile at the thought of her dream finally coming true.

But, first things first. She had a lot of work to do. Rachel sighed and trudged up the steps and around the building. When she did, she saw a man standing on the other side of the pier.

"What are you doing?" she asked sharply.

The man whirled around and a hand snaked toward his pocket, which held a gun, Rachel realized in horror. "Who are you?"

"I asked you first," she said, barely stopping her voice from squeaking.

The man chuckled and for the first time, Rachel heard the slight accent. "That you did. I'm sorry miss. I didn't mean to startle you. I simply wasn't expecting anyone to be here."

"You still didn't tell me your name," Rachel replied, coolly. She tried to keep her voice even.

"Pardon me, _Bella._ My name is Mikhail. Mikhail Davidov," he answered smoothly. "And now you must tell me yours."

Rachel willed herself to remain steady. He didn't look as though he'd hurt her, but she'd heard stories from her brother and knew that the mob was a sticky business. And because he was down on the docks looking as though he owned the place, she could only assume that he was part of the mob.

"My name is Rachel."

He smiled now. "A beautiful name. Now Rachel, what is a beautiful woman like you doing down on the docks?"

This comment got her back up. She stood up a little straighter. "I am a business woman and I am looking at buying this warehouse," she said primly.

He laughed, a sound that made her grow warm inside. "I see. Well, I will get out of your way. I am also working down here, but you mustn't concern yourself with my work. See you around _Bella."_ He walked down the ramp and disappeared around the corner.

Rachel sighed out of worry. Even as she made her way back toward the door to wait for the realtor, she was second-guessing her decision to purchase property on the waterfront.

But then she stopped herself. Why was she second-guessing herself? Of course the mob was a threat, but there wasn't much left after the death of Sonny Corinthos, her mother's first husband and the father of her elder brother. So why was she worrying?

Could it be because of the man she'd just met? No, she told herself. She would not be that much of her mother's daughter. She would not be involved with a potential mobster.

Even if he was the most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Miranda Montgomery parked her car in front of the big brick building embellished with the bright white sign that read The Miranda Montgomery House for Women. Started by her mother Bianca thirty-two years earlier, the foundation was one of the most successful non-profits on the Eastern seaboard.

And for the last eight years, it had been her baby.

Despite her love of the foundation and the service it provided, Miranda hated that it took her away from Spencer. But, she knew her responsibilities and while she loved Spencer Cassadine more than anything, she had a job to do in Pine Valley.

She hurried past the gently falling snow and into the building. A blast of warm air greeted her and she was grateful that her fingers began to thaw. A quick jog down the hallway led her to her office, in which she planned to closet herself until the staff and board meeting later that morning.

After stowing her coat and bag in the tiny closet, she booted up her laptop, preparing to answer the multitude of emails that had accumulated in her two week absence. But even though it was mindless work, she was distracted.

She'd never planned on falling in love. In her experience and observation, love didn't work. She'd seen too many relationships fail for ridiculous reasons and she didn't intend for it to happen to her.

But then she'd met Spencer Cassadine.

At first, she'd avoided him because she didn't want to seem interested. But then when he'd cornered her in France and demanded that she got out to dinner with him, she'd fallen head over heels in love. But of course, she wouldn't admit it.

Then he'd convinced her to go back with him to Port Charles and when she'd seen how he was in his own home, she'd had nothing else to do but to admit her love. And it was been bliss from there.

Of course, in the last four years, she'd only realize the depth of her love for Spencer. The only problem was that their lives were so separate and it was so difficult to find a way to put them together.

She sighed when she realize that she was typing gibberish in a very important email. She needed to block out Spencer for the moment and focus on the foundation…before the board ousted her for not paying attention.

Just as she was about to click send, a knock on the door removed her concentration from the computer. "Come in."

The door opened and Bianca Montgomery popped her head in. "Hey, welcome back!"

Miranda smiled slightly, drew back from her desk and ran into her mother's arms. "Hi Mom. I missed you. How was France?"

"Good, good. How was Port Charles? And Spencer?" Bianca asked with a raised eyebrow. She held her daughter at arm's length and looked into her eyes. "Miranda?"

She shrugged and attempted to evade the question. "He's fine." Then she smiled. "Did you hear how much money we raised?"

Bianca grinned. "I did and I am so proud of you. You did so well, both you and Spencer. But you still didn't answer my question. How are you and Spencer? Am I going to hear wedding bells soon?"

Miranda's eyes widened. "Mother!" She pulled away and walked to her desk.

Bianca grinned even wider. "Miranda, I haven't seen you in three months and when I ask you what is going on between you and the love of your life and you evade me." She kicked the door shut and walked over to the chair that sat on opposite of the desk.

"Yes, well, we are not getting married—yet. But I hope that it will happen soon," Miranda answered quickly. She handed her mother a stack of paperwork. "Here are the receipts from the benefit. We were great! The foundation got quite a bit of money."

Bianca nodded. "I'm so proud of you. You are so good for this foundation." She reached for her daughter's hands. "Miranda, this foundation was begun because of what happened to me. It was a horrific act that I would never wish on anyone. But it gave me the most beautiful gift and I wouldn't change it for a minute. And when you came on board here, I was so happy. You have accomplished so much in the last eight years."

Miranda closed her eyes and wiped a tear away. "Mom."

Bianca shook her head. "Let me finish. Miranda, I am so glad that you are my daughter and that you are working so hard at my foundation. But I want you to have a life. I want you to find love. And you've found it, so be careful and don't throw it away. Please, don't ignore Spencer for too long. He's good for you. And you're good for him. I know that you love working here, but when you have the chance at happiness, run to it." Tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Oh, Mom. I love you and I promise that I will take a chance," Miranda replied, jumping up to hug her mother.

Bianca hugged her tightly. "I love you." Then she smiled and pulled back so she could look into Miranda's eyes. "Look at us, a couple of saps. Fix your makeup and we'll go down to the café for a cup of coffee. I know that you have a lot of work, but I haven't seen you in three weeks. I want to know what happened in that time. And I'll tell you about France."

Miranda smiled and reached for her coat. She powdered her nose and looped an arm through her mother's. Together, they walked out of the office and toward the elevator.

Miranda vowed to herself that she would take a chance on love. She knew that her mother was right. If she waited too long, Spencer may not be there for her.

And that was not a risk she was willing to take.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Georgie Jones crept down the stairs of her sister's home. It was after nine in the morning, so she hoped that everyone was gone for the day. Because she didn't really want to talk to anyone right now.

When she saw that the kitchen was empty and the rest of the house silent, she wen to the sink and poured herself a cup of coffee. As she took a sip, her gaze fell to a piece of notebook paper on the counter. It was a note from Maxie.

_Georgie, I had to be at work early today. Spinelli's at PCPD if you need anything. Call me if you want. You have the house all to yourself. Again, feel free to make use of the car. It's yours until Fiona gets her license (which, if her father has anything to do about it, would be never). Anyway, have a good day. XOXOXO Maxie. _

Georgie replaced the paper and grinned to herself. Maxie and Spinelli were such good parents. Their girls were happy, well-adjusted and kind. Just the way her own daughter had been once upon a time.

No. She wasn't going to think about that. She wasn't going to bring herself down. Not after all she'd been through. She more than anyone else understood that life was short and it wasn't worth taking it for granted.

She set the cup in the sink. She needed to get a grip on her life. She needed to set a few things straight. Even if it wasn't all the same, she wanted to try and get some piece of her life as it had been when she'd been young. And she knew just where to start.

She turned and hurried upstairs. Going through the motions, she quickly showered and dressed. Within a half hour, she was walking out of the house, car keys in hand. Fifteen minutes later, she was knocking on the door of the Quartermaine Mansion.

The door opened and Dillon stood in front of her questioningly. "Georgie?"

She closed her eyes momentarily, willing herself to stand strong. "Hi Dillon, can I come in? I would like to talk to you."

"Why?"

"Because we were close once upon a time."

"But why now? Why stir up old memories?"

She threw up her hands and felt the tears threaten to fall. "Because that's all I've been doing in the last two week. So, please, can I come in? There's something important that I'd like to tell you."

He sighed and stepped aside. She walked into the foyer and slipping her coat off her arms, draped it over a chair. Dillon walked into the living room without a word. She followed, wondering if this had been a bad idea.

Taking a seat in his grandfather's armchair, he said nothing. She sat across from him on the couch. She knew that she had to start.

"Dillon, I know that you hate me for leaving you, but—"

He shook his head, cutting her off. "Georgie, I don't hate you. I never did. I just was surprised and angry that you never told me the truth."

"You have to know that I didn't have a choice. Once I made the decision to be an agent, there was no turning back. And I did wonder if I'd made the wrong choice. For months after, I missed my family, my home, the life I could have had. But I knew that I made a commitment and in time, I grew to love my job. But that doesn't mean that I didn't still regret my decision," Georgie said, willing the tears back.

"I'm sorry for acting this way." He stood up, walked to the window. Turning back to her, "Because the truth is, I still love you. I always loved you. It's part of the reason my marriage didn't work out. Both of us loved someone else—mine was just a ghost."

"Oh Dillon, I will never be able to express how much I regret hurting you. I hurt everyone, my sister, my cousin, my uncle. But most of all, I hurt you. And for that, I am so, so sorry." Her breath hitched and she took a chance. "Is there a way that we could get past this?"

His eyes closed briefly and she felt her chance begin to slip away. He walked closer to her and knelt down in front of her chair. "Yes, we can get past this. But first, can I just do this. I've imagined it for years." He leaned in, pulled her closer and crushed his lips to hers. It was tender, but then something changed and Georgie knew for certain that there wasn't any place she'd rather be at that moment.

She put her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, taking them to unknown territory. "Please, Dillon," she breathed. She knew that he felt the change also.

He pulled away ever so briefly and she worried that the change was a bad thing. But he only tilted her face to his and spoke quickly. "Be sure."

She could only nod and felt his hands move down her body, pulling at the buttons of her shirt. She chuckled softly at his hurriedness and brushed his hands away, making quick work of the buttons. "I like this shirt; I don't want you to ruin it."

His lips curved into a smile as he slipped the shirt off her arms and tossed it aside. Next, he peeled off her bra and took her into his hands. She breathed deeply as she fumbled with the belt of his slacks, finally getting it free and unzipping them.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered. It occurred to her then, as they were so close to that cliff, that only once had they ever had something so special. And back then, they'd been children, fumbling for the right moves. Now, they were mature and both knew what they and, oddly enough, the other wanted.

They moved in sync, pulling and tugging off the remainder of their clothing, until they were together as one. It was a feeling she'd never before felt and that made it so wonderful. As that cliff dawned, they fell together, both grateful for what fate had allowed them.

**Okay, so there was a little smut at the end. But I like the idea of Georgie and Dillon coming together as different from when they began. They've loved and lost, matured and changed. But that idea of young love is still there, considering neither fell out of love with the other. What do you think? I want a happy ending for this couple, especially. Please review. **


	40. What A Lovely Word

Georgie shifted and squinted in the light. She was right where she always wanted to be, right where she always imagined. Dillon sighed and pulled her closer. She burrowed into him, grateful for the second chance.

"Cold?" his voice was strong, a rock onto which she was desperately holding.

She shook her head, emotion making her throat thick. She was halfway afraid to speak, afraid that if she did, it would all be a dream.

He shifted away from her, to look into her eyes. His face wore double looks of worry and confusion. "Are you all right? Please don't tell me that you think this was a mistake, because that's not what I'm thinking right now."

She shook her head again. Finally she found her voice. "No, no mistake. I'm afraid that I'm going to wake up and find that this was all a dream. And that scares me more than anything."

He sighed audibly and pulled her close to him. Kissing the top of her head, he spoke quietly, "don't be afraid. I'm right here. And as long as you'll let me, I'll always be here. I love you Georgie. I always have and I always will."

She turned to look at his face. Their eyes met and she took a breath. "I love you more than life itself, Dillon Quartermaine. And that will never change."

He smiled, kissing her again. "You don't know how happy that makes me."

"I didn't come here—to seduce you. I only came to talk," she began quietly.

He chuckled, quieting her fears. "I think that I seduced you, so it's only fair. And this was far better than talking. We're past talking, Georgie. We can't dwell on the past. We've both had a life and made decisions that affected us one way or the other. But now it's time to look forward. To our future."

"Future. What a lovely word."

"Believe it Georgie. I want a future with you. I want a life with you. We were robbed before, but now we have all the time in the world," he said and she whole-heartedly believed it. She wanted it just as much as him.

But she knew that she had to be able to tell him of the past. He had a right to know. "We will need to talk about the past. In order to get to the future, we will have to talk about it. There are things that you need to understand. About me. Things that made me the way I am today. And I knew that there are things that you will need to tell me," Georgie replied. She nestled in further, not wanting to leave their little cocoon.

"Yes," he replied patiently. He knew that to move forward she would have to come to terms with their pasts. "But we have all the time in the world. Why not enjoy the moment?"

She grinned mischievously. "That's the best idea I've had all day." She rolled over, straddled him and they both fell into oblivion.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Maxie shifted at her desk and reached for the ringing phone. She was multi-tasking as high speed right now. Her computer screen was filled with the latest designs for the spring line; she was on one phone in the middle of a heated debate with Greenlee Lavery about the upcoming spring fashion show, and now her caller I.D read her Uncle Mac's name.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath. She loved her uncle and everything, but he always seemed to pick the worst moments to call.

_"What was that Maxie?" Greenlee asked. "You have the spring designs ready?"_

"No, no. Not yet. I will have them to you by Christmas Eve at the very latest. After the New Year, we can meet and discuss logistics. This show will be a smash."

_"Oh, no doubt. I do have an inquiry to you though. What do you know about the company __**Lady's Court**__? A bit about it recently reached my radar and I'm interested in what sort of stock they carry. It might be a new collaboration for Fusion and Crimson."_

"Ugh. I haven't heard about it, but I'll look into it. I really have to go. I'll be in touch. Happy Christmas!" Maxie slammed the phone down and breathed a sigh of relief. Sort of. She had an assignment? Who did Greenlee think she was? A messenger? She had her own work. But of course, she'd look into the matter. Lady's Court? She could only imagine what sort of store it was.

The phone rang again, jolting her out of her musings. She nearly let out another choice expletive when she picked it up again. And she barely contained herself from barking into it. 

"Hello Uncle Mac," she said dutifully.

"Maxie! I hope that I didn't catch you at a bad time," he replied, completely unaware of her situation.

She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "No, no. It's fine. What can I do for you?"

"I've decided that we need to have a family dinner. You know, you and Spinelli, Patrick, Mackenzie, your girls. I imagine that Mattie will bring Morgan, which is perfect because what better way to welcome him into the family than at a family dinner. And especially now that Georgie's back with us. We need to unite again."

"Uh, that's great Uncle Mac. What day? Spinelli and I are free tomorrow."

"Then it's settled. I'll call Patrick and Mattie," he said happily.

"Great. What can I bring?" She asked, looking up as Kate signaled her. She held up a finger and motioned toward the phone. Kate nodded and stepped into the office.

"You can bring desert if you want. You know how much I love apple pie."

She couldn't help but smile. "Yes, I do. Now I have to go. I have a lot to do today. I'll see you tomorrow. Love you!" She replaced the phone and looked up at her former boss and current business partner. "Sorry, it's my uncle. Since he retired, he has not knowledge of time or working schedules."

"It's okay. I need your opinion on the layout. It's in my office," Kate said, leading the way and forcing Maxie to focus on the task at hand.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Patrick walked out of the elevator, speeding up when he saw Mattie come around the corner. He called her name and she stopped, turning around and smiling at him. "Hey Daddy."

"Hi," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "I was wondering if you were busy, because I thought that we could grab some coffee, talk. We haven't seen each other in weeks. Not since your engagement anyway."

She nodded. "That sounds great. Just let me drop this chart off and I'll meet you down in the cafeteria."

Patrick smiled and walked back toward the elevator, fingering the velvet box in his pocket.

* * * * *

Ten minutes later, Mattie walked into the cafeteria and saw her father sitting across the room. When she reached the table, he handed her a cup. "I took the liberty of ordering for you. I hope that it tastes okay."

She took a sip as she sat down. "It tastes great. Whew! This is the first time I've sat down since my shift began at six this morning."

He grinned. "Well, you wanted to be an OB. Babies don't have a schedule."

"I'm not complaining, just reveling in the fact that I get to sit for an extended period of time." Then she frowned. "What's up, Dad? You seem tense. Is something wrong?"

He sighed. "I'm that transparent."

Mattie shook her head. "No, I'm just good at reading you. What's wrong?"

Patrick shook his head and reached for her hands. "Nothing's wrong. I just haven't seen my eldest daughter in a while and thought that I'd talk to you for a few minutes. How have you been?"

She smiled now. "I'm been good. Pretty stress free considering what's going on in my life right now. Maxie is planning this perfect wedding and between her and Carly, I have little to do other than show up at the church on the thirty-first."

"I'm sure that it will be amazing."

"Oh, I have no doubt of that. Maxie never does anything halfway and now that Carly's apologized ten-thousand times for the way she's treated me for practically my entire life, she's wonderful too."

"Listen Mattie, I invited you here today because I wanted to give you something." Patrick drew the little box out of his pocket. It looked as bright and promising as the day he'd bought it twenty-nine years earlier.

Her breath hitched as she took it, her fingers brushing against the soft sides. She watched his face as she opened it and then she gasped. "Mom's wedding ring."

His head dipped into a nod. "Yeah, she wanted me to give it to you when the time was right. She felt that as the eldest, you deserved it. And it seemed like the right time. I—uh—figured that you could wear it on a chain or something."

Mattie didn't bother to brush back the tears, but let them freely fall. "Oh Dad, Thank you, so, so much." She clasped his hand across the table.

"Your mother would be so proud of you. You are following your heart. Which is all she ever wanted you to do," Patrick replied.

"Thank you. I've been thinking about her a lot lately. Maxie showed me the album of your wedding. She was so beautiful."

"And so are you. Both you and your sister look so much like her. You even more than Mackenzie. Every time I see you, I have to remind myself that she's gone," Patrick said. Then he stopped. "Okay, enough sadness. This is a happy occasion. You are marrying the man of your dreams."

"Yes, yes I am. I am so lucky. Just as lucky as you and Mom. I only hope that I get a little more time to remember that."

"I fell in love with your mother despite her condition. We both knew that someday she'd be gone. We made the best of our time together. That's all anyone can hope for." They both rose to their feet just as an overhead call requested Dr. Patrick Drake to the fifth floor. Patrick pulled his little girl into a hug before he walked out of the room. "I love you Matilda Drake. And I am so glad that you found happiness. A father can't ask for anything more."

Mattie smiled as she slipped away. She couldn't say anything because of the tears that were welling up. Slipping the ring box into the pocket of her lab jacket, she walked the other direction, intent on having a few moments to herself for a crying jag.

She knew that her father was right. Her mother would want her to be happy. But there was still a part of her that was missing her mother. And there was nothing in the world that would change that.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Lila plucked the phone off its base the moment it rang. "Lila Alcazar."

"Lila, its Cameron. I think that we have a lead on the Lansing case. An informant of mine told me that someone fitting Erosa's description was seen near the docks off of the 12th street pier."

She grinned. This was just the distraction she'd been looking for. "Great. I'll meet you there."

Silence. Then he spoke. Ever so carefully, she noted. "I don't think that that's a good idea."

Her lips pursed and she threw her shoulders back. "Why? Because I'm only an attorney, or because I'm pregnant with your child?"

She had him there. There was no way out but through the wall. "L-i-l-a." He drew her name out exasperatedly. And she knew she'd hit the nail on the head.

"I hope that it's because I'm not a cop and not because of this baby. Because let me tell you, if that is the reason, then we have a serious problem, Cameron Spencer."

"Listen—"

"No. You listen. This baby is our personal lives. This case is professional. That is what I am concerned with at the moment. Don't you dare confuse the two. Or I will personally have you taken off it," she snapped.

"Fine, fine. Whatever. I'll see you down at the docks." With that, he hung up the phone.

Lila was practically glowering as she stalked out of her office with her coat and bag in hands. Who the Hell did he think he was? Her protector? Sure he was the father of her child, but being pregnant did not make her incompetent. She would not be shut into some neat little drawer just because if it.

* * * * *

Fifteen minutes later, she was easing her car off on the side of the street. The docks were deserted as far as she could tell. But Cameron was already there.

"Didn't wait for me, I see," she observed, navigating the slippery planks to where he stood looking out at the inlet. They were at the inner point of the Port Charles waterway, much less pretty a view than from the Elm Street Pier.

He turned at the sound of her voice. "Sorry, I was halfway here when I called you."

"I see. What do we have?"

"A man matching the description of Mikhail Erosa. But I already looked, there's no one here. Rachel Jax and her realtor were leaving as I pulled in. I asked them, but they were looking at a one of the warehouses. Rachel's looking to purchase it evidently."

Lila nodded quickly. "So now what?"

"I don't know. It's just another dead end," he said frustratingly.

Then she narrowed her eyes and scanned the waterway. "No, it's not a dead end. We just need to think like a mobster."

Cameron frowned. "Think like a mobster? I'm sorry, but that's a stretch. I'm a cop remember. And you're an attorney. We've both on the right side of the law."

She smiled now. "But my father was a mobster, so I have tendencies. What I mean is that we need to put ourselves in the mind of a mobster. If I were a mobster, where would I live? If I were involved in shipping, it'd be somewhere close to the port." She scanned the horizon again. "There are a number of buildings around here. And they're all prime real estate. Erosa could be living in anyone of these."

"So what do we do?"

"We talk to someone who knows these waters like the back of their hand. Someone who happens to live in one of these buildings. We ask him what he knows and if he knows if the South American mob has infiltrate Port Charles again," She said, already walking toward her car, her mind churning with possibilities.

He jogged to keep up with her. "And who would have be?"

She stopped and whirled around, staring at him as if he'd grown an extra head. "Are you daft? Jason Morgan, you idiot."

His eyes narrowed. "_My_ stepfather."

"Yes, he's the mob. He'd know. Or he'd at least know if anyone leased out any penthouses in the area," she said, opening the door and getting inside the car. As she started the engine, she looked pointedly at Cameron. "Do you have a problem talking to Jason?"

He shook his head. "No, no. I just didn't think about it."

She gave him a saucy grin. "That's exactly why you need me in this investigation. I have to get back to my office for a meeting. But I'll meet you at Morgan's penthouse this afternoon at three o'clock. Is that okay?"

He nodded. "Drive carefully." With a wave, he watched her pull out onto the streets and drive back toward town.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**Wow! Another chapter finished in quick succession. I hope that you enjoyed this one. Especially the scene with Mattie and Patrick. As happy an event as her wedding is, I imagine that Mattie is wishing that Robin was with her. Please Enjoy! Also, Please review!**


	41. Independent Women

Mattie looked at her reflection critically in the mirror. She'd used cold water to eradicate any signs of her crying jag and was now ready to go back to her patients. Satisfied that her face looked okay, she hurried out of the locker room.

As she rounded the corner to the main hub of the fifth floor, her cell phone rang. Grabbing it out of her pocket, she read the I.D. and saw that it was her Uncle Mac.

"Hi Uncle Mac!" She said happily.

_"Hi Mattie. Got a minute?"_

"For you? I've got two. What's up? She asked, leaning against the wall.

_"I was just calling to invite you and Morgan to a family dinner tomorrow night. I'll be making pot roast. I know that that's your favorite,"_ Mac replied.

She grinned. "Oh Mac, sounds like you are trying to bribe me."

_"I am. You missed the last two family dinners. And this one is particularly important. We have Georgie back with us and you are engaged. Two things to celebrate. So you'll come?"_ Mac asked.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. And I will ask Morgan if he wants to come. Should I bring anything?"

_"Your famous green bean casserole would be a good addition." _Mac said. _"I'll see you tomorrow."_

"Okay, I love you Uncle Mac." Mattie closed the phone and dropped it into her pocket. Maybe a family dinner was just what she needed.

Although right now, she needed to get some work done, Mattie told herself as she walked up to the nurses' station and grabbed her patient's chart. Just as she did, she elevator door burst open and a man frantically pushed his hugely pregnant wife in a wheel chair.

"Help! My wife's in labor!"

Mattie moved over as Elizabeth pushed the anxious father away and took control of the chair. "M'am, I'm Dr. Drake. I will help you. How far along are you?"

Mattie completely focused her attention on her patient, but her family was never far from her mind.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Georgie opened her eyes shifted away from Dillon. She glanced at the clock on the mantle. It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon. She'd been at the mansion for almost four hours and she'd had sex.

She's had sex with her first love. It was crazy, but she knew that it had been true. And she knew that all that had been said was true. She and Dillon had a future and it was the most wonderful thing she'd ever been given.

Dillon sighed and pulled her back against him. "It's too early to get up," he mumbled.

Georgie giggled, but managed to slide underneath his arm. "It's three in the afternoon. And what is someone stops by? This is too private to share with anyone else."

He chuckled and disentangled himself from her. She reached for a blanket from the back of the chair and wrapped it around herself as she tried to locate her clothing. She came across shredded underwear. She held them up to show Dillon. "You owe me a new pair."

He grinned. "Gladly." He tossed her shirt and jeans at her and pulled his own jeans up over his hips.

Moments later, she was fully dressed and was attempting to put the living room back together. Dillon stopped her. "You don't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to. I am partly responsible for mess," she replied.

"I hope that you'll come back."

"You know that I will. I love you Dillon, I'm not giving you up again," she said, leaning in for a kiss. "But I have to go. I should get home because Maxie's girls will be finished with school soon and I like to hang out with them before their parents get home."

"Fair enough. I'll call you. I love you Georgie," Dillon replied, walking her out to the foyer and waiting until she was safely in her car.

He shut the door, amazed at what had just happen. Never in a million years would he have imagined that he would get a second chance with Georgie. But now, the impossible was possible.

And he couldn't wait to get started on their future.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Cameron walked into the PCPD after his meeting with Lila. His focus was not on the Lansing case though. No, he couldn't stop thinking about Lila's attack on him about coddling her.

Was he wrong to worry about the wellbeing of the mother of his child?

He sighed and walked toward his desk, stopping for a moment at the sight of the Commissioner's office. The door was closed. Cameron decided at that moment, he needed some advice. And her father was probably the best person to give it to him.

Lucky Spencer sat at his desk, phone to his ear, fingers tapping away at the computer. He motioned with his free hand at Cameron, who walked in and took a seat across from the man he'd called dad for as long as he could remember.

When Lucky hung up the phone, he watched his son. "Hey. I heard that you got a lead on Erosa."

Cameron shrugged. "Sort of. That lead was a dead end, but Lila's got some ideas. We're going to talk to Jason later this afternoon."

"I see. You and Lila work well together don't you?" Lucky asked, noting his son's hesitance. "What's wrong?"

"That's just it. Lila and I work well together, but I can't seem to focus," Cameron said, hanging his head.

Lucky frowned and rubbed his chin. But he hit the nail right on the head. "Because of the baby."

"Yes, because of the baby. All I can think about is keeping Lila and our child safe. And when she wants to traipse around the docks looking for mobsters, it makes it pretty damn difficult," Cam replied bitterly.

"Cameron, you can't put Lila in a glass box for the next seven months or so," Lucky said with a small laugh. Even though he knew how his son was feeling. "Lila is her own woman. And she's going to take risks, pregnant or not. But don't you think that the baby is the first thing on her mind every second of the day? She knows that she's pregnant and she's tailoring her life to being pregnant, but that doesn't mean that she will let you control her."

Cam sighed. His head knew that everything Lucky said was true, but his heart begged to differ. His heart said to go out and purchase that glass box. "I know. I understand everything that you tell me. But I still want to do everything in my power to protect her." He looked his father in the eye. "I love her Dad. I really, truly love her. And I'd die if anything happen to her. But she's determined to do her job."

"Which is exactly what you should be doing; I know that it's hard to separate the personal from the professional, but you really need to try," Lucky reasoned. And Cam knew that he was right.

"Thanks for the advice, Dad."

"Anytime. Now just remember that Lila focuses completely on work when she's at work and she'd probably appreciate it if you did the same," Lucky replied. Then he grinned. "I saw your mom yesterday. She's completely over the moon. She can't wait."

"I know. She found out by accident at the hospital and then called to chastise me for not telling her," Cam said as he stood up and walked to the door. "Thanks again, Dad."

Lucky watched him go and laughed. He thought of when he'd been in those same shoes. It had been so long ago. He couldn't believe that he was going to be a grandfather. That was the craziest part of it. His own son was going to be a dad.

And the whole conversation was the part that showed that biology doesn't make a man a father. Lucky may not be Cameron's father by genetics, but he was his father in every other way that counted.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Rachel Jax signed her name on the dotted line of the crisp contract. She was now the proud owner of a warehouse off of the 12th Street Pier. And she couldn't have been any happier at that point.

It was, after all, one step closer to her big dream.

She handed the pen back to the realtor and stood up, straightening her skirt. Despite the fact that she'd only seen the building that morning, she knew that it was perfect for what she had in mind.

"Thank you, Suzanne, "she said, addressing the blond-haired woman. "I'll be in touch."

Suzanne stood up too and shook Rachel's hand. "Everything's in order. You'll have your key by tomorrow morning. It was a pleasure working with you, Rachel."

"Likewise," Rachel replied before leaving the office. She hurried through reception and outside into the cold air. A quick jaunt across the street had her back at the ELQ headquarters. She had a number of tasks to finish there before she could focus on_ Lady's Court. _

When she was up in her office, booting up her computer, she managed to put her company out of her mind and focus on ELQ. It wouldn't be too much longer before she could hand in her resignation. She laughed as she thought of what the board would say. Although, as both her parents were voting members, she suspected that she wouldn't get too much brouhaha over the fact.

She picked up the phone as soon as it rang, only to discover that it was her assistance Grace. "Hello?"

"Ms. Jax, Maxie Jones-Spinelli is here to see you. She doesn't have an appointment, but says that it is very important," the woman said primly.

"Let her in," Rachel answered mildly. She closed the lid of her laptop and folded her hands on top of the desk. Moments later, the door opened and Grace waited until Maxie was seated, then she discreetly closed it.

"Hello, Maxie."

Maxie smiled. "Hi. How are you?"

"Busy, getting ready to quit this place." Then she frowned. "Did you need to see me for something important?"

Maxie nodded. "Yes, I was actually sent here by Greenlee Lavery of Fusion—"

"I know who she is," Rachel answered, cutting her off.

"Very well. Anyway, she told me that you are a partner with Fusion now. This got me interested. What is your company exactly?" Maxie calmly tugged her coat off her arms and draped it over the back of the chair.

"It's a clothing company. Mostly lingerie and other unmentionables. But there will be some clothing. _Lady's Court_ is designed to be a mail order company and a store that will rival the big name department stores. I have partnered with Fusion because I want to feature their cosmetics," Rachel gave her business spiel.

Maxie nodded. She looked interested, which made hope creep back into Rachel's heart. "I see. You have a good idea. I was wondering if you gave any idea to include _Maxie Jones_. I have designed lingerie before and if you were interested in carrying other runway material, I can start designing."

Rachel's eyes widened before she could catch herself. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Maxie Jones herself was offering to partner with her! _The _Maxie Jones—one of the leading designers world-wide. She was the biggest in her day. "Yes. I was hoping, but I was just biding time. I would very much like to partner with you. I think that is the turning point."

Maxie smiled now. "All right then. I'll have my lawyer draw up a contract and we can meet as soon as possible to discuss the terms. I am thinking a spring line exclusive to _Lady's Court. _Something that's different from the runway line I'm working on for the _Fusion_ fashion show. What do you think?"

"That sounds wonderful. If you'd do a few sketches so that I can see what you have in mind, I'll get back with you after the weekend about meeting," Rachel said, standing up and shaking Maxie's hand. "I'm honored that you are interested in my company."

"Don't be. It's purely business. I've heard how you run ELQ and I know that you have a good head on your shoulders. I think that, for me, it's a sound investment. I'll be in touch," she added, grabbing her coat and purse and walking toward the door. She smiled one last time before she disappeared from Rachel's sight.

Rachel sat back and reveled in her good luck. She knew for certain now that she would be a success. Now with both _Fusion _and _Maxie Jones_ on board, she had no way to fail. All she had to do now was talk with _Crimson, _which should be too difficult because Maxie Jones and Kate Howard were partners.

And it a matter of months, she would be the proud founder of what was destined to be a smash hit.

Right now, Rachel Jax couldn't ask for anything better than that.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Lila tapped her foot impatiently inside the foyer of Harborview Towers. It was ten minutes after three o'clock. And Cameron was nowhere to be seen.

Of course he was late, Lila thought, glancing at her watch again. It wasn't as if she had nothing else to do before she went home for the day. Well, if worse came to worse, she could talk to Jason Morgan herself.

No, she told herself. Then the information would be extraneous in court. A police officer to be present. But if he didn't hurry up, she was half willing to risk it.

Lila thought of Cameron's reaction to her doing the footwork for this investigation. He wanted to put her in a glass box for the pregnancy, which was the last thing she'd ever wanted. He just didn't understand that she wasn't taking risks—she was simply living her life no differently than she had before she'd been pregnant. It wasn't as if she didn't consider her baby before everything she did.

She laid a hand on her stomach momentarily. She'd been catching herself unconsciously doing just that often as of late. She had to be careful though. She wasn't ready for the world to know yet and if she continued that motion, people would surely begin to suspect.

Lila shook her head. Cameron just needed to have a little faith in her. she knew that he wanted this baby more than anything, but he also wanted her too. And that was the thought that made her go all warm inside.

Cameron watched her from outside the door. He'd seen her pace inside and knew that she was impatiently waiting for him. The sight of her protectively covering her stomach made him smile. It meant that she was putting their child first and at that moment, he knew that she would be all right.

He opened the door and slipped inside. She tightened her lips when she saw him pull off his snowy gloves and walk toward her.

"It's about time, Detective Spencer," she said thinly. He knew that she was mildly irritated.

"Sorry, there was an incident at the police station. Ready to talk to Jason?" he replied cheerily, hoping that it would lightened the mood.

"You make it sound like a death sentence. We're not questioning him. He has no role in this investigation other than to provide us with a little inside information," Lila said pointedly. She moved toward the elevator, thus forcing Cameron to follow behind.

Moments later, they were at the front door of Jason's penthouse. Cameron knew that his mother would be at work—which was probably best because then it would be easier to focus on the business part of the visit. Lila knocked on the door and stepped back, patiently waiting.

The door opened and they were met with Jason's cold steely eyes. He looked surprised to see them. "Hello?"

Lila sighed internally and stepped up. "Hi Jason. We need to ask you a few questions, regarding an open-case at the PCPD."

Jason stepped inside, but didn't invite Cameron or Lila in yet. "Do I need my lawyer?"

Cameron seemed to have found his tongue. "No, We just need a little inside information regarding the waterfront. You're the first person we thought of. But you are not even connected to the case itself."

"Can we come in?" This was from Lila.

Jason nodded and stepped aside to allow them to pass. Lila followed Cameron in, knowing that he wasn't entirely comfortable talking to the man who was his step-father about police work. So, she reasoned, she might as well run the interview.

"I'm Lila Rae Alcazar," she began, flipping a small notebook open and digging in her bag for a pen. When she retrieved it, she gave Jason the background of Ric Lansing's shooter being someone involved with the mob who may or may not live near the harbor. "We thought that you might have some information about where an out-of-town mobster might be residing—either permanently or temporarily."

Jason looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he moved across the room to the window. Lila stayed where she was, unsure if she was supposed to follow. He pointed to a building on the far left of the window, overlooking the harbor.

"That building has new occupants. It's been vacant for years. I don't even know who owns it. But it might be worth checking out."

"Thank you," Cameron said. He followed Jason's pointing finger. Looking back at Lila, he spoke pointedly. "I can go check this out. You go back to your office. I'll call if I get anything."

Her raised eyebrow said everything. She took a deep breath, struggling to keep calm, for the baby's sake, if not her own. "I think not. I've been in this investigation from the start and have no intentions to stop now. So just stuff it Cameron Spencer." She picked up her purse and moved toward the door. "Thank you, Jason, for your help. Cameron, I'll meet you at the brownstone." With that, she swept out the door.

Jason turned and looked at his step-son. "Problems?"

Cameron shrugged. "If you didn't already know, Lila's pregnant with my child. And she's pissed at me because she says I'm coddling her."

"And are you?"

Cameron rolled his eyes and moved across the room. "Maybe I am. But don't I have a right? I mean, I am the baby's father and I just want my child to be safe. My child and it's mother."

"You really care about her, don't you?" Jason asked.

"Yes, and I can't help but worry about her."

Jason sighed and moved to the couch. He nodded to the opposite chair, which Cameron took. "I have a piece of advice for you. You need to step back and look at the situation differently. You are too close. If you and Lila are going to work together, you have to keep your personal relationship separate from your professional one. You can't keep pressuring her. It's not good for her or the baby."

Cameron nodded. He knew that Jason was right. She didn't need the stress of his worrying. He sighed and held his hand out to Jason, who took it and shook. "Thank you, Jason. Thanks for listening to me."

Jason nodded. He was a man of few words. The way he looked at it, why use a lot of words when a few work just as well. "I can see that you love her. But she knows her own body and she can judge when something is too much."

Cameron stood and walked toward the door. "Thanks again, Jason, for both the advice and the information. I owe you."

Jason followed him out into the hall and watched until Cameron disappeared into the elevator. Walking back inside, he smiled at the thought of Cameron being the worried father-to-be and the memory of his own pending fatherhood.

It was funny, how quickly life changes. It seemed like it was just yesterday that Cameron was a little boy building a tower with his blocks or chasing after the rubber ball at the park. And now he was going to be a father himself.

Some things just move too quickly.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So, how is it? I'm thinking that there will be three or four more chapters. I'm shooting for forty-five total chapters. There are a few good scenes coming up! Keep reading. Please update! I love to hear my reader's opinions. ENJOY!**


	42. Facing the Pain

Georgie let herself inside Maxie and Spinelli's house. She stowed her jacket in the hall closet and set her purse at the bottom of the stairs to be taken up later. Walking into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Maxie already home, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea in her hands.

She looked up when Georgie entered the room. "Hi! How was your day?"

Georgie's eyes widened. She wasn't sure how to answer that. "Uh, it was fine. I just toured around town, you know, saw the old stomping grounds. I stopped by the Quartermaine's and saw Dillon." And engaged in gloriously wonderful, mind-boggling, sex with him on the floor of the formal living room.

Maxie nodded knowingly, but said nothing. She could tell that her sister was deliberately withholding something. But decide to simply wait until Georgie made up her mind to tell her. She stood and walked over to the cupboard, retrieving a mug. She put the teabag in the cup and poured in hot water. Handing the cup to her sister, she sat back down and watched her pointedly.

Georgie sat down across the table and took a sip of the tea. "Where is everybody?"

Maxie waved her hand. "Spinelli's still at PCPD working and Fiona's helping Lulu at Kelly's for the dinner rush and Jamie's at a sleepover tonight." She took a sip of the tea, wrapping her hands around the mug.

Georgie nodded. She didn't know what to say. Should she tell Maxie what she'd done that afternoon—_all _afternoon? "Did you and Spinelli have plans? I can go somewhere else tonight."

"No, no. That's okay. We weren't doing anything in particular. In fact, I think Spinelli is working late. Maybe we can go out to dinner together. Catch up, visit," Maxie replied. She knew that there was something that Georgie wasn't telling her.

"Ugh, sure. That would be nice. Where do you want to go?" She mumbled, glancing at the window for lack of anywhere else. She knew that if she looked at her sister's face, her story would come tumbling out.

"The Metrocourt would be nice, don't you think?"

"I-slept-with-Dillon." The words came tumbling out before she could stop them. Georgie covered her face with her hands in horror.

"What was that?" Maxie asked credulously. She did not believe what she heard.

Georgie pulled her hands away from her face slowly. "I slept with Dillon Quartermaine," she whispered.

"When? Why?"

"Today, and why? I don't know!" Georgie was practically wailing. "I went to talk. Only talk. But then he started kissing me and then we just got into the moment. And we had sex. Spectacular, mind-blowing sex."

"Wow. I don't know what to say."

"It was totally unexpected—and completely wonderful," Georgie replied. "And it changes everything."

"I can see that," Maxie said wryly.

"No, I mean, we talked. We talked about why I did what I did and we agreed that we need to move past it. We want a future and the only way is to face the past. I will have to tell him mine and he will tell me his."

"That's great." Maxie couldn't help but feel giddy. This new development was a sign that things were getting back to normal.

"I can't help but think that this could be wrong," Georgie confided. She knew it sounded ridiculous, but after a life spent in hiding, she was overly cautious.

"It could, but it won't! You have to believe that, Georgie. You got a second chance at being here in Port Charles, and now you have a second chance with the first man you ever fell in love with," Maxie exclaimed. She reached over and gripped her sister's hand. "Run with it! Take the chance. You can't second-guess it."

Georgie nodded this time, taking comfort in her sister's words. "Yes, I will take the chance. I have to."

"Good. Now for dinner," Maxie rose to make a phone call. "Let me make reservations at The Metrocourt."

Georgie rose to meet her sister, put a hand on her arm. "How about we order in? There's something I'd like to talk to you about—tell you about. It's time that all secrets are known. I haven't been able to do it before, but now, I think that I can."

Maxie's breath caught and tears gathered at the edge of her eyes. She nodded and threw her arms around her sister. Georgie's face flooded with emotion and she held on. Then she pulled back, "That'd be nice. I'll call for pizza."

Georgie nodded. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be right back." Without waiting for an answer, she raced out of the room and headed for the stairs. Within minutes, she was in her bathroom, stripping down and stepping into the shower.

As the water beat down on her, she leaned against the wall for support. Tears threatened and this time, she didn't will them back, but let them fall. The sound of the water muffled the sound of her sobs. She knew that the playing field would change when she told her sister about Dante and Amelia. Everything would be different, but in light of all that had happened that day between her and Dillon, she knew that she had no choice.

She dropped to the floor of the shower and hugged her legs to her body. Closing her eyes and letting the steamy water sluice off her, she pictured her beautiful little girl.

_Eight years earlier:_

_Georgie sat in a chair at the edge of the dance floor. A glance at her watch told her that she should have been at headquarters twenty minutes earlier, but she just couldn't make herself get up and leave. _

_She watched as a young girl moved gracefully across the room, on her toes, up in the air, as if nothing weighted her down. She was tall and willowy, built like the true dancer she was. Her long brown hair was tied back into a simple bun at the nape of her neck, but tendrils had managed to escape and were plastered to her head by sweat and tears. They made her look more real than the china doll she appeared to be. _

_Georgie was so proud of her. So proud of the way she asserted herself into life, of the way she never second-guessed herself, and of the way she loved fully and completely. Amelia Maximilliana Falconeri was no pushover. _

_And, Georgie thought, she was exactly like her mother. _

_Georgie reached down into the big bag that sat at her feet. She dug around in it finally retrieving her camera as the music swelled and the dancer leaped high into the air. She saw Amelia land against the barre and snapped the photo. It was the perfect pose. Smiling now, she dropped the camera back into the bag and rose, moving quietly toward the door. Stepping outside, she turned back briefly. _

_The dance was over and the studio was filled with chattering voices. Amelia's teacher was congratulating her. But Georgie caught her breath when she saw Amelia move off to the side and meet a man. _

_As the two embraced, Georgie couldn't help but smile. Her little girl's first love was a patient and kind-hearted young man of seventeen. Barely six months older than Amelia herself and they were so good for each other. _

_Briefly, Georgie's mind wandered back to a time where she'd been sixteen and in love. Shaking it off, she watched as Amelia lifted herself up on her toes and kissed him fully on the lips. Even as she was a little sad to see that her baby was no longer a baby, she was happy to see what a wonderful young woman she was becoming. _

_End Flashback…_

Georgie was knocked back into the present by the water gone cold. She managed to get to her feet and using the soap, washed her body, letting the scent waft over her. She bit her lip and shut the water off, reaching for a big towel which she wrapped around herself as she stepped onto the bathroom floor.

She secured the towel and walked to the counter to look into the mirror. She didn't look too worse for wear. After all, she'd discovered that crying jags in the shower left little sign afterwards.

She'd discovered that little fact after her family was gone.

Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the fact that she would give her sister the facts. Maxie needed to know who she'd been married to and about her life eight years earlier.

She owned that to her in any case.

Drying her hair, she walked into the bedroom and pulled on fresh underwear and a bra. This made her think of the ruined pair she'd discarded at Dillon's. And it made her smile despite her tears.

Choosing a velour sweat suit, she quickly changed and finished her hair by tying it back into a loose tail at the nape of her neck. Then she felt strong enough to go downstairs and face Maxie. But before she did, she dug through her drawer for the box that held too many memories.

By the time she got downstairs, Maxie was sitting in the living room with a glass of wine and the pizza box. "It arrived while you were in the shower," she explained, handing Georgie a glass.

Georgie took a sip and sat down on the couch next to her sister. Placing the glass gently on the coffee table, she turned to face Maxie. She opened the box and took out the top picture. It was taken in Central Park two weeks before the ordeal.

Maxie took the photo and studied it. "Is this your family?"

Georgie could only nod. When she found her voice, she spoke in a whisper. "Yes, my husband Dante and my daughter Amelia. This picture was taken just before they died."

"You want to tell me how you lost both of them?"

Georgie took a deep breath. "You already know that I was an undercover operative for the WSB. I met Dante while I was working in New York City. He was a cop. We were married twenty-five years ago last April. Amelia was sixteen in this picture."

"I saw the picture of her on your nightstand. I wasn't trying to pry or anything. I was simply cleaning your room. She was very beautiful," Maxie replied.

"Yes, she was. That photo was taken three days before—before their death." She took a breath to steady herself. "It was an operation gone badly wrong. They'd been watching me—my family. They had pictures of Dante and Amelia. Personal pictures. I was so close to closing the case. But then I got the call. It was a ransom call. They wanted ten million dollars for the release of both of them. They wouldn't tell me where they'd taken them, but I could hear Amelia crying in the background. Before I could call for backup, I was grabbed from behind, blind-folded and stuffed into a car. They took me to where my family was being held. We were left into this damp room for hours. Amelia was struggling and crying at first, but then she slowly stopped. It was as if she knew that something was very wrong and—"Georgie stopped, wiped the tears away. She'd cried enough to fill the ocean already.

Maxie had tears running down her cheeks. "Oh sweetie. I'm so sorry."

"There was nothing I could do. WSB was negotiating, and Dante said he could get the money to free us all, but they wouldn't listen. Finally they got tired of all of pleas. They started to fire off shots, for fun. I watched as one of the shots hit the wall and ricocheted back—a-and hit Amelia in the head. It went too fast. All of a sudden, she went limp and fell over. I knew that she was gone. And I couldn't do anything about it. Our captures started laughing and then they shot Dante and point blank range. Again, just for fun. I couldn't cry, even though I wanted nothing more, I wouldn't let myself. Eventually, they left me alone—" Georgie said, but Maxie cut her off.

"You were alone with the bodies of your husband and wife. What kind of cruel men were these monsters?"

Georgie shook her head. "They were getting back at me. I couldn't do anything about it, but I knew that if I cried, I would be seen as weak and worthless. Then I might be dead along with my family. Even though at that point, I would have rather died anyway. But hours past and finally the WSB managed to infiltrate the scheme. Agents stormed in guns blazing. One of the men were shot and killed instantly. The others were taken into custody. They are in the state penitentiary now; one's awaiting the death penalty. But nothing, no amount of torture could make up for the pain they caused me."

"How did you get past it? I mean, they were your family—your entire world," Maxie asked, taking her sister's cold hands. She gripped them, bringing them up to her cheeks in an attempt to warm them.

"I don't know. I didn't have a choice. I went through questioning and then we had a memorial. Truthfully, those first few weeks afterward are still a blur."

Maxie dropped Georgie's hands and reached for the picture, studying it. Then she frowned. "Wait, I've seen this girl before."

Georgie's breath caught. "Yes, I'm sure that you have. Her name is Amelia Maximilliana Falconeri. I believe that her great-aunt is your boss Kate Howard."

"So—you married Olivia Falconeri's son, Dante?"

"Yes."

"And she knew, Olivia, I mean?" Maxie asked credulously. It truly was a small world.

"Yes, she knew and she was sworn to secrecy. Every year when Dante would bring Amelia to visit Olivia, the story was always that I was working. Which was partly true, but there was no way that I could ever come back here. It would cost me everything I have ever worked for as an agent," Georgie replied.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Georgie. I know that it sounds cliché, but I can't think of anything else to say," Maxie replied. She reached over and crushed her sister into a hug.

"Thanks. Believe me, I've heard everything. I have moved on. I had no choice. I choose to remember the good times. Rather than dwell on the fact that they're gone."

"I know, and as horrible as it is to lose two of the most important people in your life, I'm glad that it brought you home to me and your family. You will never be alone as long as you are here," Maxie replied, squeezing her sister again before letting her go. "And I'm glad that you told me. I'm glad that there are no secrets any longer."

For the first time in more than three hours, Georgie smiled. "Me too."

And for the first time since she'd stepped foot back in Port Charles, she truly meant it.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**Okay, so I didn't mean for the whole chapter to be about Georgie, but once I began writing it, the characters sort of took over. I needed Georgie to come clean about what happened to her family. Maxie needed to know because she was working so hard to make thing back to the way they had been before Georgie's 'death'. And now that Georgie has rekindled her relationship with Dillon, it was important that her sister knew the truth. What do you think? Good? Bad? Please review. I love hearing from my readers! Keep looking for future updates!**


	43. Geography Tests and Relationship Tests

**Okay, so I have a few minor details to bring you up to speed. **

**First of all, in the beginning of this story, Maxie had two daughters named Fiona and Julia. Then I realized that I named Starr and Cole's daughter Julia as well. So, I changed Maxie's daughter's name to Jamie. **

**Also, this chapter is gearing toward the end of the entire story. I already have an epilogue planned out. It will provide happy endings for all characters. I doubt that I will ever do another story using the same characterizations from this one, but I've had a lot of fun. **

**I thank all of my loyal readers and reviews. Someone once reviewed saying that this could be a spin-off of General Hospital. For that, I am very thankful. I am honored to hear that my writing is good enough for the actual show. **

**Please let me know if you have any ideas for the last remaining chapters. I really enjoy reading the reviews. Thanks again and enjoy!**

***GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Georgie shifted as the sun streamed in through the window. She opened her eyes and stretched. For the first time in the weeks that she'd been back in Port Charles, she actually awoke rested.

She thought back to last night when she'd told her sister everything. Georgie was so grateful that Maxie had taken the news well and she was even more grateful that everything was out in the open.

Pushing back the covers, she put her feet on the floor and rose to make the bed. Life was a funny thing, she mused. Once upon a time, she'd been little Georgie Jones, the-girl-next-door from Port Charles, NY. Then after a series of unfortunate events, she was an agent for the WSB and had to watch her family be murdered. Then there was now. Now she was back where she began, not quite certain what role she was supposed to be playing.

She hoped that her role involved Dillon Quartermaine, because she'd realized that she couldn't live without him. She also hoped that it involved her sister and her uncle because she now realized just how much of a fool she'd been for thinking that she could live her life letting them think that she was dead.

Smiling widely now, Georgie walked into the bathroom and raced through her shower. Twenty minutes later, she was walking out of the bedroom, down the stairs and into bedlam.

"I can't find my pink shoes!" Jamie wailed, walking into the kitchen just ahead of Georgie. "Someone must have stolen them and I _have _to wear them today!"

Maxie turned around from the stove where she'd been stirring oatmeal. "Did you check your closet?"

"YES! And they're not in there, or under the bed, or in the hall closet!"

"Daddy probably threw them away," Fiona muttered darkly without looking up from her cereal.

"Fiona," Maxie answered warningly. She gave the oatmeal another quick stir before reaching into a cabinet for a bowl. She dished up the oats and dropped the bowl onto the table. "Here you go, Jamie. Eat up or you'll be late."

"I _need _to find my shoes. I have a geography test today and they're my lucky charm," Jamie said, but sat down and picked up her spoon.

Maxie turned again and spied Georgie. "Good morning! Welcome to chaos! What some oatmeal?"

Georgie laughed. "Sure." She took a seat next to Jamie. "After you eat, I'll help you find your shoes. I'm really good at finding things."

Jamie looked up at her aunt with a watery smile. "Really?" At Georgie's nod, she smiled wider. "Thanks."

"I'll also help you with you test. What sort of geography are we studying?"

"The test is on state capitols." Satisfied now that she would find her shoes, Jamie took a bite of the cereal.

"Ah, that can be hard. But it can still be fun," Georgie commented, accepting the cup of steaming coffee Maxie offered. "Thanks."

Maxie took a seat across the table. "It's nice having your aunt Georgie back home, isn't it, girls?"

Jamie nodded emphatically while her big sister said nothing. Georgie turned her attention back to the little girl. "What's the capitol of Georgia?"

Jamie frowned, thinking. "Umm…Atlanta! And the capitol of Maine in Augusta!"

"Good. And the capitol of New York?"

"Aunt Georgie, that's an easy one. Its Albany," Jamie answered in a tone that said she wasn't stupid.

"I was just checking. How about Washington and Oregon?"

"The capitol of Washington's Olympia and the Oregon is…" she scrunched up her nose, trying to remember.

"It's Portland, you idiot," Fiona muttered, jumping up, her spoon clattering into her empty bowl. She raced out of the room and could be heard pounding up the stairs. Maxie and Georgie stared after her and then turned to eye each other.

Maxie stood and took her daughter's bowl to the sink. Georgie turned to Jamie, who was playing in her cereal bowl absentmindedly. "Don't mind your sister, sweetie pie. She'll be okay. Let's go upstairs and look for your shoes, okay?" She rose, nodding at Maxie and smiling at the child.

Jamie managed to match her aunt's smile and followed Georgie out of the room and up the stairs. Together they went through the closet, and under the bed. Digging through a toy chest, Georgie drew out a pair of pink tennis shoes. Holding them up, she motioned for the little girl. "Jamie, are these the shoes in question?"

A mile-wide smile exploded on Jamie's face. "You found them!" She jumped up and threw herself into Georgie. "Thank you, thank you! You're the best!" She grabbed the shoes and ran out of the room, calling for her mother. "Mom! Aunt Georgie found my shoes! I can ace my test today!"

Maxie came out of the kitchen, "That's great. All hail Aunt Georgie. You saved the day, once again!"

"Alert the newspapers," Fiona mumbled coming down the stairs behind Georgie. She reached into the hall closet and grabbed her coat and mittens.

"Be nice, Fiona," Maxie said sharply. "I'm getting very tired of these sarcastic comments and attitude from you."

"Whatever." Without waiting for a reply, she stalked out the front door just as the bus pulled up in front of the house.

Jamie threw her arms around her mother and then her aunt. "I'm really glad that you are home, Aunt Georgie. Bye!" she said, waving and following her sister out the door.

Maxie shut the door behind the girls and watched from the window as they both boarded the big yellow bus. She then turned back to her sister was still standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Thanks for covering today. I don't know what Fiona's problem is. Spinelli and I are at our wits end these days. And Jamie is so sweet and innocent that she takes whatever her sister says to heart. It hurts her."

Georgie shrugged. "I don't know. I'll talk to her for you, if you want." She reached into the hall closet and drew out her own coat.

"Maybe she'll listen to you," Maxie replied, walking back to the kitchen and finishing the dishes. A glance at the clock told her that she was supposed to be walking into Crimson's offices in exactly eighteen minutes. It would take her at least fifteen minutes to gather her belongings, get into the car and drive into town. She would only have three minutes to spare. Sighing, she laughed internally. Being late seemed to be the story of her life.

Georgie had walked into the kitchen and was pouring a second up of coffee. "I'll finish the dishes for you."

"Thanks." Then her eyes widened. "Oh my god! I forgot to tell you that Mac is having a family dinner tonight. He wants to welcome you back and to celebrate Mattie's engagement," Maxie said, picking up her briefcase.

"Oh. Okay. I guess. Are you sure that I should be there?"

"Yes, Mac wants you. Is that a problem?"

"No, no. I'll be there. What time?"

"Umm, 6:30," Maxie answered, walking out of the door. "I'll call you later. Have a good day!"

Georgie lifted a hand in response and watched as her sister pulled out of the driveway and peeled down the road. She told herself to focus on the good things in her life. And not to worry about a simple family dinner.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Mattie stood at the nurses' station filling out a patient's chart when a hand snaked up around her. She smiled brightly and turned around.

"Hey Lover Boy."

Morgan said nothing, but leaned down, pulling her into a kiss. When he finally let her go, she raised her eyebrows. "That's some welcome."

"Well, a pretty girl like you deserves a special welcome," Morgan answered. He picked up a coffee cup from the counter. "Here's your daily latte. Lulu said that you hadn't yet stopped by this morning."

"I was running late today. And I had an early surgery," Mattie answered, taking the coffee gratefully. "Thanks. What would I do without you?"

"Let's not find out," Morgan said, kissing her again. "I saw your uncle today. He invited me to a family dinner tonight."

"Oh! I completely forgot to call you. He called me at work and we were a zoo right after or I would have called. Can you come?"

"Sure. Do you want me to pick you up?" Morgan asked. He took a sip of his own coffee.

"That'd be nice. Pick me up at my apartment at six-fifteen. I'm off at four today. I have to make a lemon cream pie. Its Uncle Mac's favorite. Then I need to run a few more errands that I never seem to get done any other day of the week," Mattie replied. She glanced at the clock.

Morgan watched her eye the clock. "I'm holding you up. I'm sorry. I have to get back to work anyway. I'll see you tonight." He pulled her closer and kissed her again, releasing her after a moment. "One of these days, we need to spend some time together." He waved and stepped into the elevator.

Mattie's Aunt Dr. Kelly Lee Hunter chose that moment to walk around the corner. "Wow. That was a pretty steamy conversation."

Mattie turned and grinned. "As if I haven't heard stories about you and steamy conversations."

"True. So you're coming to dinner tonight at Mac's?" Kelly handed several charts to Mattie. "These are your new patients."

"Thanks." She accepted the charts. "Yes, I'll be there. It should be interesting, what with Georgie back from the dead."

Kelly laughed. "Yeah, that'll fun." She glanced up as the elevator doors open again. "Oh, oh. Here we go again." She hurried over as the paramedics wheeled a gurney in and began calling out. The room was swarmed with doctors and nurses trying to save a life.

And Mattie put everything else out of her mind in order to focus being part of the act of saving.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Lila Rae Alcazar hated weakness. She hated it with a passion. Weakness meant dependence and dependence meant leaning on another person. And leaning on another person was the part that made her fight the most.

She clutched the sides of the wall at the PCPD for support, willing the wave of vertigo to pass. And as she waited, she hoped to God that no one was around to see her. She was planning to attack Cameron for not calling her after he'd checked out the lead from the day before. He'd told her to go back to her office and let him do the footwork; she'd gone only because she was so tired of arguing.

Because God knew hated giving in to demands.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to breath slowly. This pregnancy was taking things out of her that she didn't know she had. It was making her _want _to depend on others and the fact that the person she wanted to depend on was Cameron scared her the most.

"Lila?"

Her eyes shot open, praying that Cameron wasn't standing in front of her. When her vision steadied, she was glad to see that it was not Cameron, but Sarah Lansing.

"Hello," she said weakly.

Sarah narrowed her eyes worriedly as she studied the tough-as-nails prosecutor who was currently gripping the wall like a lifeline. "Are you all right?"

Lila took a deep breath, hoping that her breakfast would slide back down toward her stomach. "Yes, I think so."

"Because you look very far from okay. Can I help you? Get you something? Maybe crackers or wat—" She was cut off when Lila raced frantically for the ladies room at the other end of the hallway. She sighed and hurried into the bathroom.

When she opened the door, she could hear sounds of retching coming from the far stall. "Lila?" she called softly.

There was no answer as Lila continued to upchuck into the toilet. After a few moments, there was silence and Sarah saw Lila lean weakly against the bathroom wall. Knowing that Lila needed a moment to get her bearings before being questioned, Sarah stepped back into the hallway and walked to the vending machine. Digging out a dollar from her pocket, she purchased a bottled water and made her way back into the restroom.

Lila had managed to pull herself up from the floor and had poured herself into the plastic chair that sat in the corner. Saying nothing, Sarah walked into the room and handed the red-head the water.

Lila nodded thanks and took an experimental sip. When it stayed down, she took another sip, this time standing and spitting into the sink. When she'd managed to wash away the disgusting taste of puke, she sat back down weakly.

"Not to pry into your personal life, but are you okay? That was pretty bad in there," Sarah said finally.

"It's okay. It would come out eventually," she sighed and lifted her gaze to look at Sarah's face. "I'm pregnant," she explained.

To her credit, Sarah didn't look overtly surprised. "Congratulations. I assume that it's a good thing, right?"

Lila sucked in a breath. "I'm trying to see the positives. Let's just say that it was unexpected." She laughed nervously. "I haven't been hit with sickness this bad in a public place before. Thanks for helping me and not asking too many questions."

Sarah smiled. "No problem, just doing my public duty. I won't tell anyone what happened or why it happened." She walked to the door and began to pull it open. "Are you sure that you're going to be okay?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine. I will be fine. Thanks again," Lila answered before Sarah exited the room.

Lila took another deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. When she was sure that she wouldn't keel over, she pushed to her feet and gathered the purse and briefcase she'd tossed on the ground in her haste. Smoothing her hair and crushing down on a mint, she stepped out of the bathroom.

She managed to pull herself together as she walked down the hall and into the bullpen. Taking another deep breath, Lila crossed the room to Cameron's desk.

"Detective Spencer," she called crisply.

Cameron looked up from the report he'd been working on. He fought back a smile as Lila dropped into adjoining chair. "Yes, Counselor?"

"I believe we had an agreement. I let you do your interview of Erosa alone and you were to call me as soon as you'd finished."

"I made the decision that the new could wait. You'd already had a stressful day by the time we'd finished interviewing Jason Morgan," Cameron answered coolly. He knew her tactics and could outmaneuver her any day. But she was too much a professional to bring their personal lives into play.

"That was not your decision. As the victim's council, I reserve the legal right to be kept apprised of any developments," she spoke slowly, bitingly. And he knew that she was pissed off at his actions.

"And you will be. This morning. I wasn't ready to give you the report as of the end of yesterday," he answered.

She thinned her lips and he could almost see the process of consideration occurring inside her head. "All right. I will give it to you. What is your report?"

"I went to the brownstone and identified myself. I was let in and met the one and only Mikhail Erosa. I questioned why he was in the country and where he'd been on the night of the shooting. He had no viable alibi," Cameron began.

Lila's eyes widened. "And you let him go!"

He rolled his eyes. "Oh ye of little faith. No, I called in a warrant and arrested him—albeit his protests and threats." He hooked a thumb to the holding cell where said man was glowering. "He kept calling out for his lawyer so we put him in the back."

"Does he have a lawyer?"

"Yes, a call was put in. He should be here very soon," Cameron replied. He handed her a copy of his arrest report.

"I want in on the interrogation." She calmly filed away the paperwork in her briefcase.

"No." It was said so firmly that she practically balked.

"Why? And you better not blame our personal problem," she questioned warningly. He stood to match his stance.

"There's that and that little fact that you are representing the victim."

She sighed, knowing was right on both accounts. "I'm not an invalid. I will not be overexerting myself. I will wait outside then."

Cameron nodded, knowing that it was as much a compromise that Lila would agree to. "Fine."

"Good. Let me know when you are ready to proceed. I have some work back at my office. And on a personal note, why don't you stop by later," she said for his ears alone before calmly walking toward the door.

Cameron stared after her and wondered what he was getting himself into.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**Please review!**


	44. To Love and Lose

Carly Jax sat across from her daughter in Rachel's office at the ELQ headquarters. The desk was completely covered with samples of Rachel's newest enterprise.

"I just got these in the mail this morning. Aren't they great?" Rachel asked gleefully, examining a pale pink peignoir. She was thrilled with the arrival of the lingerie because it meant that she was that much closer to her dream.

Carly grinned and picked up a midnight blue nightie. She pursed her lips and studied the garment. "It's very nice. Are you hiring the people that will sew these or are you using a separate company?" she turned it over and studied the backside of the nearly see-through garment.

"Oh all items will be made in my own factories. I already bought the building and am in the process of getting it ready for production," Rachel replied, watching her mother. "You know Mom, that seems to be your size. Why don't you take it and tell me how it works out. Although I don't need the exact details."

Carly looked up, surprised. "Really?"

"Well sure, I always want to make sure that my product will hold out," Rachel grinned now, amused by the fact that for the first time in her life, she was seeing her mother flustered.

Carly laughed now. "Okay, thanks. I'm sure that your father will be very grateful."

Rachel shook her head and closed her eyes. "Too much information. I don't really need to know about your sex life. Just take the set and do what you will with it." She covered her ears in response.

Carly's laugh rang out into the room. "Rachel, you really don't think that your father and I have only had sex two times in our entire marriage, do you?"

"Right now, that's the thought I'm most comfortable with," Rachel answered. "Thanks for coming by."

"No problem. Thanks for the samples. I'm very proud of you, baby," Carly said, shrugging into her coat. She picked up her purse and walked to the door. "I know that you will be a success. You are too much your father's and my daughter to not be." Her laugh continued ringing down the hall as she walked to the elevator.

Rachel rolled her eyes and neatly folded everything back into the box. She needed to contact production and see how soon the warehouse would be outfitted with sewing machines. She'd already spoke to one of the investors and hiring notices were already going out. She expected to hire about fifty seamstresses by the end of the year and would have half her stock finished by February. By her first of May opening, she would be ready.

Rubbing her hands together happily, Rachel sat down to run the numbers again. Everything was going to work out perfectly, of that, she was sure.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Miranda walked into her office at the foundation twenty-five minutes behind schedule. She'd woken up that morning with a horrible headache and the beginnings of a stomach ache. At first, she was afraid that she'd have to call in sick—something she'd never before done—but then some tea had helped and she managed to make it to work.

Even though she knew that she looked like Hell.

Her face was very pale, as it had been for almost a month. She truly had no idea what was wrong and hadn't taken the time to go to the doctor. She knew that she should, that it was only the responsible thing to do, but simply put, hadn't had a spare moment to herself since she'd come back to Pine Valley.

She had been focused on putting the money she'd helped raise at the benefit to good use at the foundation. No, that was not entirely true, she told herself. She was a master at avoidance and she was definitely avoiding finding out if she was healthy or not.

She set her purse and laptop bag down and struggled out of her coat. She knew that it wasn't smart to let this sort of illness go on, but there was a small part of her that just didn't want to find out the truth.

Miranda thought back to the time nearly eight years when she'd first had the symptoms. Then, she'd brushed them off as exhaustion, as too much time spent studying for finals. But when she'd suffered those nearly debilitating cramps every month, she'd known that something was off. That and the abnormal bleeding during her time of the month had alerted her to visit the doctor.

But it had been the doctor's news that saddened her the most.

Her doctor had told her that she was suffering from Endometriosis and that there were medications to help lessen the symptoms, but not to cure. Miranda had been very hurt to discover that this disease might decrease her chances of doing what she'd always wanted more than anything—becoming a mother.

But she'd had nothing to do but play that hand dealt to her. At first, it had made her shy away from men. She didn't want to fall in love, find out the guy wanted children and then have to tell him that there was a big chance that she'd never get pregnant. It would just be too difficult to try and explain.

Then she'd met Spencer Cassadine.

And he'd managed to convince her that love was possible. Even when she'd told him about her little problem. He had said that he loved her and even if she wasn't able to have biological children, they'd find a way to be parents. And she'd believed him.

But now, it was different. Something was wrong and Miranda was too scared to go to the doctor to find out what it was. She sighed and tried to focus her attention on the computer screen, attempting to block out the pain that was begin to arise.

She pushed back from her desk, rising, intent on getting a cup of tea to soothe her stomach. But as she took a step across the room, pain—worse than she'd ever experienced—sliced through her midsection. She closed her eyes and willed it away, gripping the desk for support. Unaware, she moaned as it continued to ripple through her.

But it wasn't the pain that frightened her. It was the little _pop_ she not only felt inside her, but heard as if something had put a pin to a balloon. Then she felt something warm begin to gather at her inner thighs.

"No, no, no," she moaned, falling to the floor and curling into a little ball. Just then her office door opened. She didn't even bother to open her eyes to see who was witnessing the scene. "Help me," she managed to whisper.

Greenlee Lavery stood in the doorway and goggled at the scene before her. Then, moving quickly, she raced to her niece's side. "Miranda? What's wrong?"

It was then that she saw the spreading stain of bright red on the carpet beneath the sobbing woman. Jumping up, she grabbed the phone off the desk, dialing 911 as she tried to soothe Miranda.

"It's going to be okay, sweetie. I'm calling the ambulance," she said in much the same fashion she did when one of her own children were ill. "Hello? I'm Greenlee Lavery at the _Fusion _towers. 500 Front Street. I need an ambulance immediately. I have a woman, approximately thirty years old. She appears to be in great pain and she's bleeding badly. Please hurry," she said, pushing the end button and turning her attention back to Miranda.

"The ambulance in coming," she whispered and Miranda managed to nod. She still kept her eyes close.

It seemed like hours as the pain continued to move through her before the EMTs arrived. Greenlee stepped back and let them begin to work on her niece.

"Ma'am? Can you tell me your name?" one of them said loudly to Miranda.

She shuddered, trying to catch her breath. "M-Miranda," she said breathlessly.

"Good, good. I'm going to try and help you."

It would be the last thing she heard for a while when she finally blacked out from the pain.

* * * * *

Later, much later, Miranda lay perfectly still on the starch white hospital bed. Her eyes were closed and she was concentrating on her breathing. It was that, she thought, or the fact that she'd just lost the baby she hadn't even known she'd been carrying.

It had all happened too fast.

By the time, the EMTs had brought her to the hospital; there was nothing that could be done. She had suffered through more and more cramps until they'd began to subside and her doctor had told her that she'd passed the baby.

Her baby. The baby that she wasn't supposed to have was gone. Just like that. Spencer's baby too, she reminded herself. A Cassadine heir. And now it was gone.

She felt so empty inside, had never known that she could _feel_ empty. Subconsciously, her hand curled in anger. _Why_, she wanted to cry out. Why couldn't she still be pregnant? Why did she have to lose the thing that was most precious to her?

The hardest thing had been the fact that she hadn't even known that she was pregnant. She hadn't even had the chance to try and save her child. And now it was gone. Dead. Lost.

Her eyes felt raw, like sandpaper. She'd cried during the whole process, from both the pain and the sadness. She didn't even know if she could be happy again after an experience like that.

She closed her eyes again and took slow careful breaths. Even breathing hurt. Her whole body hurt. Though she knew while the physical pain would subside in time, the emotional pain would linger for a lot longer.

She didn't even move when she heard the door click open. Nor did she open her eyes when she heard the voice of her cousin and best friend, Dr. Emma Lavery.

"Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" Emma asked quietly, walking to the edge of the bed.

"Exhausted, raw, empty," Miranda answered slowly. She opened one eye and saw the doctor studying her. "Please don't pity me," she whispered.

"Never," Emma replied. Then she aimed a steely look at Miranda. "I'm keeping you overnight. You lost a lot of blood and we need to do transfusions. In the meantime, I just want you to rest. I can arrange for a counselor to come in and talk to you if you'd like."

"I can't talk to a shrink," Miranda said emphatically.

"Okay, but you need to talk to someone. Sweetie, you were about nine weeks alone. I'm assuming that it was Spencer's."

Miranda only nodded. "Yes."

"Do you want to call him? I'm sure that he would like to know what happened," Emma offered.

"No."

"Okay, just rest. I'll be back later." She walked to the door after patting Miranda's hand reassuringly. Stopping at the door, she turned back. "From the point of view of your family and best friend, I'm so, so sorry, Miranda." Without waiting for an answer, she was gone.

When the door clicked shut, Miranda closed her eyes again. She was afraid to sleep, afraid that if she did, she would dream about the child she couldn't have. As a single tear fell slowly down her cheek, she momentarily wished that she had given permission for Emma to contact Spencer.

Because as much as she didn't want to face him with the news, he was the only person she wanted comforting her right now.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Spencer was _this _close to throwing the phone against the wall. He'd been trying to get a hold of Miranda for the last six hours. He'd called her house, her office and her cell. And still, nothing.

He hadn't talked with her in a few days and wanted to iron out the details for Christmas. He knew that she wanted to spend Christmas with him in Port Charles—especially because his little sisters were coming from Greece. But she also wanted to spend some time with her mother and sister in Pine Valley because she had seen so little of them. Plus, her sister Gabrielle was coming from her home in France.

But he couldn't even find her. And it was starting to worry him. Spencer tried to tell himself not to worry, that she was probably just busy. But when her secretary wouldn't tell him anything about her whereabouts, he knew that he had the right to be concerned.

Just as he was about to pick up the phone again, it rang. He plucked it from its base quickly. "Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Cassadine?"

"Yes, this is he," Spencer replied, impatient. He didn't know who was calling him from the sound of the voice.

"I'm Dr. Emma Lavery, at Pine Valley Medical Center. I-I'm also best friends with Miranda," she began but Spencer cut her off.

"Is she okay? Did something happen? Tell me. I've been trying to get a hold of her for hours," he asked worriedly.

Dr. Lavery sighed audibly and Spencer's heart dropped. "She would kill me for calling you. She explicitly asked that I not call you. But, Mr. Cassadine, she desperately needs you right now."

"Tell me what happen! Is she okay?" Spencer was practically screaming now.

"I can't tell you what happen. I'm sorry, but it is not my job to tell you. Only Miranda can tell you. But I will tell you that physically, she isn't okay now, but she will be. It's her emotional health that I'm more concerned about. She needs you."

"I will be there in two hours," Spencer replied breathlessly. "Thanks Dr. Lavery."

"Good. When you arrive at the hospital. Ask for me before you ask to see Miranda," Emma replied before hanging up.

Spencer dialed an entirely different number next. "I need the jet in half an hour," he barked. When he'd received confirmation, he raced upstairs to pack a few belongings. He had no idea how long he would be gone and wanted to be prepared.

James the butler appeared like smoke. "You are going away Mr. Cassadine?"

Spencer didn't bother to look up, kept shoving clothes into a duffel bag. "Yes. I don't know how long I'll be gone."

"I will look after the house, Sir. Everything will be taken care of. All you need to do is to take care of Miss Miranda. Tell her that we are all thinking of her," James replied before disappearing in much the same silent manner as he'd appeared.

Twenty minutes later, he was in the launch, crossing the water to the pier. Then finally, he was at the airstrip and in the air.

But he still couldn't relax. Not with the worry of what happened to Miranda running through his head. Even as he made calls to his associates, put off any meetings, and postponed work for the time being, he was still on edge.

Luckily, the two hours passed quickly. He ascended the plane and hurried across the tarmac. He'd called ahead and arranged a cab to pick him up and drop him off at the hospital. And he was very thankful that he'd done that because there was no way that he could drive in the state he was in.

Fifteen minutes later, he was at the hospital waiting for Dr. Lavery to meet him. He stood in the lobby when a perky blond walked around the corner.

"Mr. Cassadine?" she asked, reaching to shake his hand.

"Please, it's Spencer. You're Miranda's closest friend. You can call me Spencer," he said.

She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "All right Spencer. Come with me. Miranda's had a terrible shock. As I said, I can't go into it, but she'll be able to tell you more. Don't let her push you away, because she needs you now more than ever."

Spencer took a deep breath when they stopped in front of a door. Emma nodded slightly and left him alone. He was almost afraid to go inside, afraid to see what state his beloved was in. But he forced himself to walk in.

She was lying on the bed, sleeping. She was very pale and looked tired, but other than that, she didn't have any obvious signs of an accident. He wished that Dr. Lavery would have told him something. But at least he saw that she was okay, alive and sleeping.

Spencer quietly pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat in it, gripping her hand. He spent the next several hours watching her for signs that she was waking up. After a while, he began to nod off.

Then hours after he'd arrived, he felt her stir. "Miranda? It's me, Spencer. I'm here."

She opened her eyes and studied him for a moment. "You're not supposed to be here, Spencer." And she pulled her hand away, refusing to look him in the eyes.

This is what scared him the most.


	45. Pity Party

"You're not supposed to be here, Spencer," Miranda whispered drawing her hand away from his. He sat next to her, gaping at her reaction.

"What?"

"Go home. I'm fine. I will be fine," she replied stubbornly, knowing that her pleas would fall on deaf ears. He wouldn't budge until she told him what was going on.

"No. I'm not leaving."

She closed her eyes, willing the tears that threatened back. "Please…"

"Tell me what happened, Miranda," Spencer asked.

She shook her head. "I can't."

"Yes, you can. Or I will find out from a doctor. Your doctor wouldn't tell me anything but I'm persuasive," Spencer replied coolly.

And she knew that he would. "Okay, I'll tell you. But please, remember that I didn't know until today."

"Didn't know what?" Spencer asked, reaching for her hand again. This time she allowed him to take it.

"That I was pregnant."

Nothing she could have said surprised him more. "What?"

She looked down at her lap, humiliated. She'd known that it would go this way. She took a deep breath. "I—"

Spencer cut her off. "You're pregnant?" He gripped her hands tighter, joy in his eyes. Then he stopped, nearly dropped her hands. "Wait. Was?"

She couldn't help the tears now. They fell now, big, fat tears that had her shoulders jerking up and down. He didn't know what to say. So he did the only thing he knew to do: he leaned in the gathered her in his arms, allowing her to cry into his shoulder.

"Shhh…" he whispered, keeping up a calming sound. It seemed like hours when her sobs quieted. He continued to hold her, even as she pulled back.

"I lost the baby."

He sucked in a breath and put his forehead to hers, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Miranda…I'm so sorry."

Miranda leaned back. "I-I didn't know that I was pregnant. I didn't think that I could get pregnant. But I've been so tired lately. And then the cramps started, this morning. I didn't know what to do, what was wrong. But before I could think, I started to bleed. And my aunt found me and—" she stopped talking when he put a finger to her lips.

"Stop, stop. It's not your fault. None of this is your fault."

Her mouth opened but no sound came out. Then she shook her head. "How can you say that?" she cried, pulling out of his arms. He sat back in the chair, helpless while she raged. "How can you say that it wasn't my fault? I lost our baby—your baby—the heir to the Cassadine fortune."

"It's not your fault. I would have loved this baby. But it can't be helped. And all that matters is that you are okay." Ignoring her protests, he pulled her back into his arms. "Stop. I love you and no matter how sad I am that we will not be having this child, I am so glad that you are okay."

"Spencer…"

"No. Don't pull away. Please God, don't pull away." Spencer was practically begging now.

Suddenly she felt very tired, so tired that it was difficult to keep her eyes open. "Okay," she replied simply. She leaned against him. "Don't leave, Spencer. Please don't leave me."

He closed his eyes and dropped a kiss on her head. "Never. I love you Miranda. I will always be here. Sleep now."

He laid her back on the bed, pulling the blanket up. She closed her eyes, still gripping his hand, and fell asleep almost instantly.

Spencer sat in the dim room for hours. He knew that it was sometime in the early morning. But there was no way he was leaving. His mind was racing with all that she'd told him.

Miranda had been pregnant with his child and now she wasn't. As grateful as he was that she was okay, he still mourned for the child he hadn't known existed. He knew that he would have loved his child, but he loved Miranda more and it horrified him to think of a moment when she wasn't in his life.

If she wanted to be a mother, he'd find a way for her to be. That was a promise that he made to himself and her. Spencer gripped her hand, not willing to let her go.

He loved Miranda Montgomery and would do anything to fight for her. That was a promise.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

For the first time in a very long time, Maxie felt a little joy in her heart. It was something that had slowly leeched out in the middle of all the tragedies that had befallen her family. But now, it seemed to be back.

As was her family. She felt that joy begin to seep back inside her because she knew that after all these years, her family was back together. And tonight's dinner proved that blood is stronger than water.

She stepped out of the car behind her daughters who were already at the front door of Uncle Mac's house. She grabbed the cream pie she'd made for dessert and hurried up the walk just as Mac opened the door.

"Hi Uncle Mac!" Jamie exclaimed, hugging him as she walked by. Fiona managed a smile and managed to dodge Mac's quizzical look as to her attitude. Maxie sighed before giving Mac her own hug.

"Don't mind Fiona," she whispered in his ear. He pulled her back to look at her face. She shrugged. "She's a teenager, she's moody. We just have to either live with it or ignore it."

Mac smiled, thinking back to when his three girls had been teenagers. "She'll be fine," he said, patting Maxie's cheek and eyeing the dessert Maxie still held in her hands. "Pie?"

She raised her eyebrows. "After dinner. Is anyone else here?" She looped her arm through her uncle's and walked into the living room.

"No, not yet. Patrick said he might be a little late and Mattie was having Morgan pick her up at her apartment after work. Is Spinelli coming?" Mac asked and made Maxie chuckle. After his adamancy that Maxie would regret marrying Spinelli all those years ago, he'd grown quite fond of the computer geek, more so after he'd stopped speaking in euphemisms.

"Yes, but not until after six-thirty. He was finishing up some work at the PCPD," Maxie answered, walking toward the kitchen with her pie. Tantalizing smells of pot roast were wafting out. "Mac, you overdid yourself. This looks great."

"I wanted tonight to be special. Is Georgie coming?"

Maxie turned around from the stove and smiled. "Yes. She is. S-she's bringing someone."

Mac's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't aware that she was seeing anyone. I mean, she just got back to town."

"Well, I'd say that she's been seeing this one for a while. Mac, she's rekindled her relationship with Dillon Quartermaine," Maxie replied, unsure of Mac's reaction.

"Really. That's great. I'd heard that Dillon was divorced. I think that they're good together. At least they were back then," Mac said happily just as the doorbell rang.

Maxie finished checking the pot roast, wiped her hands dry on a towel took a deep breath. She was ready to have her family back as one again. She smiled now, as she walked into the living room and saw that not only had Matt and Kelly Hunter arrived, but also her husband.

"Spinelli, you got off early," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her.

"Yeah, I figured that nothing I had to do at work was more important than this. Did I miss anything?"

She giggled. "No, not yet. I was the first one here."

"Good." He pulled her to him, his arm around her shoulders as the Hunters walked in with their children.

"Hey guys!" Maxie called.

Kelly handed Mac a bag of dinner rolls. "Matt wouldn't let me cook so this is my only contribution." It was said with a hint of laughter.

"Hey! I didn't want to have to completely re-do our kitchen—again!" Matt quipped.

"It was once. And it was a new stove not the entire kitchen," Kelly replied derisively.

"And the new one was beautiful," Maxie put in, remembering her own bumbling attempt at cooking in the early days of her marriage.

Just then the doorbell rang again and Patrick and Mackenzie walked in this time. "Hello all!" Mackenzie called, holding a cheesecake in her arms.

Maxie took the dessert and walked back to the kitchen. Pie and cheesecake, what treats! When she went back into the living room, Patrick and Matt were telling everyone about their escapades in the OR.

Mackenzie rolled her eyes as Kelly joined in, describing when an expectant father actually passed out, got a concussion, and missed the birth of his child. She leaned over to Maxie who was seated two chairs away. "That's what we get for having all these doctors in the family. All the talk is about medicine."

"That'll end. Here's Morgan and Mattie. Now it will be about weddings," Maxie replied, motioning to the new couple who had just arrived.

Mac took their coats and motioned them to the table where almost everyone was seated. Maxie looked around for a second. Everyone that is, except Georgie. She had a niggling worry that Georgie backing out.

But then the doorbell rang again. Maxie got up herself to answer it and was relieved to see that Georgie and Dillon were finally there.

"Hey," she said, hugging her sister. She smiled at Dillon, not entirely sure of what to say.

"Hi. Sorry we're late. I was almost to chicken to come, but Dillon convinced me," Georgie shrugged out of her jacket and hung it in the hall closet. She took a deep breath and glanced at her sister.

Maxie tried to suppress her grin. "It's your family, not a firing range. Don't look so steely. You'll get wrinkles." But she took her sister's hand and walked in with her just the same. "Look who's here!"

Everyone called out shouts of welcome and hello. Dillon and Georgie were seated together two chairs down from Maxie and Spinelli. Mac took his place at the head of the table.

"Before we eat, I just want to say how happy I am that we could all get together. I am so very happy to have Georgie back with us. I also want to congratulate Mattie and Morgan on their wedding. So without further ado, dig in!"

As bowls and platters were passed around the table, conversation turned genial. Maxie handed a platter of potatoes and carrots to Mattie. "So, I just wanted to tell you that this wedding is going to be better than you ever imagined."

Mattie smiled happily. "Good. I hope so. You don't know how glad I am that you are doing it for me. I feel so stress-free right now that I don't know what to do."

Morgan leaned over to Mattie as he took a bowl of rolls from Mackenzie. "I know what to do," he whispered suggestively into her ear. She kicked him underneath the table, but grinned anyway.

"Maxie showed me the bridesmaid dresses," Mackenzie said, cutting her meat into bite-size pieces. "They look great. You chose really great colors—especially for a wedding around Christmas."

"And she looks great in deep, dark colors," Kelly added. She handed her daughter a carrot. "Eat it," she ordered. The thirteen-year-old balked and grumbled, but took the vegetable and studied it.

"It's really not that bad," Patrick said to her in a stage whisper. He took a bite of his own carrot to show Lauren that he was speaking the truth. "If you dip it in the gravy, it tastes just like the potatoes."

"That sounds like my daughter," Dillon said, taking a sip of his wine. Mac clued in immediately.

"You have a daughter, Dillon?" he asked, passing the pepper when Matt motioned for it.

Dillon nodded as he swallowed. "Yeah, she's sixteen; lives in Llanview right now with her mother. But she's moving here for second semester right after the holidays."

"Wow. That's interesting. What's her name?" Mac replied, failing to catch Maxie's eye when she tried to get him to stop.

"Alex."

"She's really nice. I met her a couple of weeks ago. Dillon's pretty lucky to have a beautiful and smart daughter like that," Georgie spoke for the first time. She was trying to take it all in.

Her family had spent so much time together in the last thirty years that they anticipated each other's reaction. She was an outsider, someone who was new, someone who didn't have a role in this story.

Sensing her hesitation, Dillon placed his hand over hers. She looked at him gratefully, taking a sip of her wine. "It'll be okay," he murmured.

Maxie also saw her sister's pause. She tried to turn the attention off her, but there was no such luck for Kelly jumped in again.

"So, Georgie. Do you think that you'll go back to work for the WSB?"

Georgie gaped for a brief second, but caught herself. "Um, I don't know. I have a meeting with my superior after the holidays. Obviously, I won't be able to go back and do the exact same thing I did before, but I'm certain that I will still have a role within the agency." It was about the only place she was certain where she had a role, she thought to herself.

"Wow, you must have enjoyed the fast-paced life to stay in it that long," Matt gestured with his fork as he spoke.

Georgie shrugged. "I chose it a long time ago and it was just as easy to keep working. But, yes, I think that I do enjoy it. It's my life." she slanted a glance at Maxie, willing her to stay silent.

Thankfully, she did. She then managed to steer the conversation away from Georgie. "Mattie, you will have to let me know when you are free next week so that you can try on your dress. It's really beautiful. Federico did a spectacular job on it."

"I still can't believe that my wedding dress in a designer dress. I mean, I know that I've worn your dresses, but for some reason, I never equate you and designer together," Mattie laughed, taking a forkful of potatoes.

Maxie rolled her eyes. "Oh thanks. I would have designed your dress, but you were so adamant about getting married three weeks after you became engaged."

"Why wait?" she said, eyeing Morgan. He laughed and hugged her close.

"My sentiments exactly. I mean, she's been chasing me for the better part of the last decade."

"That's very true, much to her father's horror," Kelly said, laughing. She reached over and poked Patrick in the shoulder. "But who's to get in the way of true love. If that were the case, you would have never married Robin."

"Hey, I managed to convince her!" Patrick rubbed his shoulder and shot a hurt look in the direction of his sister-in-law.

"Just in time too, or she would have delivered Mattie in the church," Matt threw in, not missing the moment to tease his brother.

"Okay, children," Mackenzie said primly. "Let's at least act like we like each other."

Patrick turned on his youngest daughter. "You're one to talk. You spent your entire adolescence shooting dark glances and glowering at us."

"I grew out of it," she shot back.

Fiona abruptly pushed her chair back, scraping it on the floor. As everyone stared on in surprise, the teenager ran from the room. The front door slammed shut as she ran outside.

Maxie turned to her husband. "What's her problem?"

"It sounds like she is taking after her cousin," Matt commented, taking a sip of his wine and wincing when his wife elbowed him on the gut. "Hey!"

Kelly frowned and shook her head. "Was it something we said?" She glanced at her own daughter seated two seats away from her.

Maxie sighed and Spinelli shook his head. "No…she's been moody like that for weeks."

"It's the age," Mac supplied, he passed the meat platter to Patrick.

Georgie pushed her chair back and patted her sister's hand. "I said that I would talk with her. What better time than the present?" She walked out of the room, snagging her coat before opening the door and stepping outside.

As she closed the door, she could hear loud conversation resume. At least some things were normal. She walked across the porch, making out Fiona's form on the porch swing. "Fiona?"

"Did my mother send you out to rescue me?" she asked haughtily.

Georgie stopped just in front of the girl, surprised at her niece's tone. "That's not very nice."

Fiona shrugged. "I don't care." She brought her knees up to her chin, her arms hugging them.

"Yes, you do. You know that you do."

"What do you know? You don't even know me, so don't act like you do. You can't just drop back into this family and expect a welcome," Fiona replied bitterly.

"No, I can't. And that is partly my fault. But I've come to terms with it. Your mother has too, so I don't know why you have such an attitude," Georgie conceded. She motioned to the bench. "Can I sit?"

Fiona didn't answer so Georgie sat anyway. They sat in silence for several minutes. Georgie stared out at the lightly falling snow. Then she couldn't stand it any longer. "Fiona, I don't know you. And although I'd like to know you, I won't force myself upon you. On the other hand, I love your mother. She was my sister long before she was your mother. And I hurt her. I'm trying to set thing to right."

Fiona turned to her aunt. "Mom thinks that you are so great. She is so excited that your back. But what about when you leave? I mean, you have to have a life somewhere."

"I do, and I will go back. But I will always be here. I will always be a phone call away, no matter how far away I am geographically," Georgie replied, still not understanding the correlation between her return and Fiona's attitude. "Fiona, you need to tell me what's wrong."

The girl sighed. "Mom's so happy now that you're back. She doesn't worry about everything anymore. She acts more like Dad says she was when she was young. And I feel like she's forgetting me."

"What? Fiona, what are you talking about? Your mother loves you," Georgie couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Fiona sighed. "I know that she loves me. But she's just not been noticing me. I got a D on my English paper last week. I've never gotten anything less than a B and she didn't even notice. My boyfriend cheated on me and we broke up. I just wanted to talk to her, to ask her advice on how to move on. But she was too busy with your miraculous return and Mattie's wedding."

"Oh sweetie," Georgie's voice was laden with pity.

"Don't. Don't pity me. Maybe I purposefully failed my paper to test her. I wanted to see if she noticed me. And she didn't!" Fiona looked down, tears beginning to fall. Shudders wracked through the girl.

Georgie pulled her niece into her arms, allowing the girl to cry out her emotions before speaking again. "I'm so sorry that you are feeling like this."

Fiona pulled back. "It's not your fault."

"No, but I feel terrible that my return has taken away from your relationship with your mother," Georgie said, having a quick internal debate with herself. "I know how it feels to lose a relationship with a child."

Fiona shifted and stared at her aunt. "What?"

Georgie willed herself to speak matter-of-factly and to keep the tears at bay. "Fiona, you were right when you asked if I had a life in New York. I did, but it was taken from me."

"What happened?"

"My little girl died. When she was just your age. She and my husband died together."

Fiona's eyes widened and Georgie wondered if she was old enough to take in the information.

"Wow. I'm so sorry."

Georgie nodded. "I don't have a relationship with my little girl anymore. So it hurts me to think that I may have come in the middle of you and your mother. That was never my intention. You have to know that."

"I know. And I'm sorry for being to mean," Fiona sighed, perfectly chastised.

Georgie shook her head. "No. You don't need to apologize to me. You need to tell your parents that you are sorry. I only ask that you not allow that relationship to ever change. I know what is like to feel lost, but you have two parents who love you. Promise me that, Fiona."

"I promise. And I'm sorry anyway. I had no reason to be rude to you."

Georgie laughed lightly. "I've heard worse. But I would like to get to know you. I think that you are a smart, beautiful girl and I would like to be your friend."

"I'd like that too." Fiona reached over and threw her arms around her aunt. "Welcome home."

"Thanks. Now how about we go back inside and warm up. If you want to check your face in the bathroom, I'll cover for you." She took and pulled Fiona up with her.

"Okay." Together, they stepped inside and back to chaos.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So, Fiona's so-called problem was pretty lame. I just couldn't think of anything to write for her. She's a secondary character whose only real role is as Maxie's daughter. Sorry it you are disappointed. I still appreciate the reviews. For some reason, I don't get very many. Either way, I hope that you enjoyed this latest installment. **


	46. Not Enough Talking

Cameron stared at the dark-haired man in the little room. Mikhail Erosa wasn't talking and it was starting to irritate him. Cameron had a strong suspicion that he had been the shooter or had, at least, put out the hit.

Men like Erosa had others to do their dirty work.

The only problem was that he couldn't prove his suspicion. And now that Erosa's attorney was there, he couldn't even question him. Sighing, Cam turned away and walked back to his desk. He picked up the report again. There had to be something he missed.

"Excuse me, Detective?"

Cam looked up in surprised to see a young Latino woman standing at the corner of his desk. A woman who looked suspiciously like the man in the interrogation room. "Yes? Can I help you?"

"I am Anya Erosa. You are keeping my brother here," she replied, apprehensively.

Cameron got to his feet. "Yes. Your brother is in interrogation right now."

"Please Detective, may I see him. Just for a moment. Please," Anya begged. Cameron truthfully believed that she was sincere.

He sighed. "All right, but just for five minutes. No more. His attorney is here." Cameron motioned for her to follow. He walked up to the door and nodded at the police officer standing guard. Opening it, he let the woman inside.

Anya stepped inside, surprised to see how different her brother looked. He looked older, weaker, not like the brother she'd said goodbye to just twenty-four hours before. She stood by the door, waiting until it closed before speaking.

Mikhail raised his head, studied his sister. "What are you doing here? It's not safe, Anya. You can't be here. I don't want you involved." He tried to stand up, but remembered the handcuffs.

She said nothing still, sitting in the metal chair across from him. "Stop. Mikhail. Stop coddling me. You have too much to worry about, more than me. Don't you get it? You could go to jail."

"I'm not admitting to anything. Josef Santiago is here now. He's making a plea deal. I'll be out before you know it," he answered confidently.

She cocked her head, not believing what she was hearing. "Are you delusional? The police have enough motive to make your case stick. Do you want to throw away your life because of revenge?"

"Mama wanted—" he began, but she held up her hand to stop him.

"Mama _was_ delusional. She truly believed that Ric Lansing loved her, that he would come find her. But he didn't and she died of a broken heart. You need to move past it!" Anya stood again, pacing the length of the small room.

Outside, Cameron watched the woman lay into her brother. He had a gut feeling that he could get a confession out of Erosa anyway. He just needed to figure out a way to get around his pesky lawyer.

He turned back to his desk, giving the siblings a moment of privacy before he asked Anya to leave. As he sat down in the chair, the answer to his question strode into the precinct.

"Detective, I hear that we have a lawyer who thinks that injunctions are the way out of the truth," Lila called out, setting her briefcase on his desk. She had a glint in her eye that told him she was looking for some action.

"That we do. Do you have a solution, Counselor?"

She grinned wryly and pulled a stack of papers out of her bag. "I called in a favor and had Santiago's request denied. You are free to question Erosa until the cows come home…or you get a confession—whichever comes first."

"I love you Lila!" He grinned and kissed her hard on the mouth. Just as he was about to hurry back to interrogation, she snagged his hand.

"You owe me better after this case is over."

"You bet I do," he grinned again and raced through the door.

There was nothing like a confession to make a cop's day.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Georgie glanced at the clock as she walked downstairs. She thought of her conversation with Fiona. They'd gone back inside, both having turned over a new leaf. Fiona didn't realize how much she'd helped Georgie come to terms with her life choice.

Dinner had gone off without a hitch. No one said anything about Fiona's actions and after dessert, everyone trailed home. After all, Christmas was only four days away and they'd be back at Mac's for dinner so it wasn't as though they'd miss much.

Dillon had taken her back to Maxie's house, lingering at the door, drawing her into a kiss. Briefly, she considered going home with him, but knew that they needed to take things slow. It was better that way.

But now she had other things on her mind. She knew that Fiona had already talked to her mother and that they were back to the way they'd been before Georgie's homecoming.

And for that, Georgie was grateful.

As happy as she was to be with her family, to end the ruse, she hated knowing that she'd potentially come between Maxie and her daughter. Georgie knew better than anyone how precious and brief a child's love could be.

She turned the corner and walked into the kitchen. Maxie was sitting at the table, under the glow of a single light, nursing a cup of tea. Georgie cleared her throat, causing Maxie to jump slightly.

"Hey." She turned and smiled at her sister. "I thought you'd gone to bed."

"I did, but I couldn't sleep. I-I just wanted to talk to you. I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry," she said, sitting across the table.

Maxie frowned. "Sorry? For what?" She stood and walked to the counter, taking down a mug and preparing a cup of tea for Georgie.

Georgie looked down, but took a deep breath, determined to get the words out. "I'm sorry for not seeing what was wrong with Fiona. I'm sorry that my homecoming came between you and your daughter."

Maxie whirled around, splashing some tea out of the cup onto the floor. "What are you talking about? You did nothing wrong. Fiona's been like that for a while. She's being a teenager."

"But she felt that because I am here, you were focusing your attention on me. She saw her relationship with you as different and was angry. I know that it's not my fault. But I just had to say that I'm sorry," Georgie replied as Maxie set the cup in front of her and sat back down.

"You don't have to—" Maxie began.

"I _know_ that I don't have. Maxie, losing my daughter taught me how precious life is. You have these beautiful, wonderful daughters and I just want to make sure that you don't take it for granted," Georgie pressed. She stood, taking her tea with her.

"Georgie?" Maxie asked, stopping her from leaving the room. Georgie turned and looked at her sister. "I too know how precious life is. I lost you, Robin. I live on borrowed time. I understand it more than most people."

"So you do. But when we have children, it's hard to ever think that there could be a time when they're not with us." With a slight smile, Georgie disappeared from view.

Maxie turned back around, drifting again into her thoughts. She considered what Georgie had said. And she knew that she was right. Maxie may know just how brief life was, but she didn't know how it felt to lose a child.

Sure, she'd lost her sisters, her parents, and oddly enough, two ex-boyfriend. She'd nearly died save for a heart transplant from her own cousin. But when it came to her children, she couldn't comprehend how it would feel to lose one of them.

Rising, Maxie carried her cup to the sink. She walked toward the stairs, flipping off the lights as she went. When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned left rather than head straight for her and Spinelli's room.

Jamie's door was half-open, the light from the hallway spilling in. But amazingly, the little girl slept deeply, as only a child could. Her arm was tucked around the stuffed monkey Lulu had given her on the day of her birth. Maxie smiled, remembering how it had been bigger than the child herself. And now, ten years later, she refused to give it up. Spinelli even joked that she'd probably pack it off to college with her.

Tugging the blanket up closer around Jamie's neck, Maxie smoothed back the copper-colored hair she'd inherited from her aunt Georgie. She knew that she was lucky, lucky to have a wonderful marriage and these two gorgeous daughters. And she vowed to remind herself of that from now on.

Satisfied that everything was right with her youngest daughter, Maxie crept back out into the hallway. She walked three steps to the door of her other daughter. Fiona lay crossways on the bed. Her long blond hair was spread out crazily over her pillow. Maxie managed to shift the blanket so that she was covered, despite her awkward position.

"I love you baby girl," Maxie whispered. "I want you to know that you come first with me, no matter what."

Fiona groaned and shifted, her head actually ending at the top of her bed. Maxie grinned, thinking that even before she was born, Fiona had been busy. She was always moving, never slowing until she stopped completely. Leaning down, she dropped a kiss on Fiona's head before walking back out of the room.

She moved to her own room now, crawling into bed beside her husband, who gathered her in his arms. "Hmm…I'm glad you finally decided to come to bed. I've been waiting for you."

She grinned, wriggling until she was on top of him. "Are you tired?"

Spinelli was now wide awake. "No, I think that I'm fine." He leaned up, capturing her mouth with his.

And she knew that while there were a lot of new things in her life, the most important never changed.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Mattie stretched luxuriously, laughing when Morgan caught her, rolling together until he was on top of her.

"You didn't get enough last night?" she joked, as his mouth clamped down on hers. She willingly let herself be pleasured.

"No. You?" He leaned back, studying her flushed cheeks. She'd never looked more beautiful.

Giggling, she pulled him closer. "Never."

And it was all they'd say for a little while longer.

* * * * *

Mattie shifted now. She felt like liquid. Like she weighed nothing. And it was the most wonderful feeling she'd ever experienced. She leaned closer to Morgan, laying her hand over his heart. She was comforted by the feeling of it, of knowing that he was alive, solid, in her arms.

Sometimes people just needed that reminder.

He turned onto his side, so he could stare into her eyes. They were the most beautiful blue he'd ever seen. Clear, bright, just like their future.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you," he whispered, laying his brow on hers.

Her lips curved into a smile. "I believe that it was me who wouldn't let you go."

"But I could have resisted you."

"Now where would that have gotten you?" She asked, cuddling closer.

"Definitely not here," he muttered and she grinned wider. He dropped a kiss lightly on her lips.

"We should get up."

"Yes, we should. But I'm not ready to let you go just yet," he replied, encircling her with his arms.

"No? Just what did you have in mind?" She giggled as they rolled together.

Some things were just too important to give up.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**Please, please, please review. I so enjoy hearing constructive criticism about my work. Thanks for reading!**


	47. An Awkward Welcome

Dillon took a sip of his coffee and studied the newspaper in front of him. But he wasn't really reading it. No, he was thinking about the big changes that were about to come into his life.

In a matter of hours, his daughter would be living with him fulltime, a place she hadn't been in more than ten years since he'd divorced Starr. Not that he was complaining, Dillon reasoned. He really was looking forward to being able to get to know Alex, but right now it was a bit sticky.

Because right now, he really wanted to get to know Georgie again.

And he wanted Georgie to get to know Alex. Because if he had his way, she would become an important part of his life. Even as he smiled at the thought of being with Georgie, he could only hope that she was as ready to have a relationship as he was.

Dillon knew that he loved her. He knew he couldn't bear to spend any more time without her. The only problem was getting her to believe that their relationship was real.

"You look pretty deep in thought."

Dillon's gaze shot up from his newspaper and landed on her face. "Hey, I didn't know you were coming by."

"Your housekeeper let me in," she replied, not moving from beyond the doorway.

"Come sit. Do you want anything? Coffee? Breakfast? A wedding?" he motioned to a chair, reaching for the phone.

Georgie shook her head as she sat down. "No, no. I ate with Fiona and Jamie. Maxie was taking them to the mall out on the highway today to finish Christmas shopping. They wanted me to come, but I declined."

"But you came to see me." It was said with some hope. Maybe she did believe in their love. He took a sip of coffee, studying her over the rim of the mug.

She hesitated, "Was it not a good idea?" she glanced at the clock on the wall, worried she'd done something wrong. "I-I mean, I've been out of the dating game for a long time. I don't know the customs."

He shook his head, taking her hand. "I feel as though we're beyond dating. We did that, years ago. And no, you coming is the perfect start to the day."

"Good." She smiled now.

Dillon cocked his head and smiled at her. He wanted to show her that she didn't need to be awkward. Saying nothing, he stood and walked to her. He held out a hand, hoping that she would accept.

"Georgie, I'd like you to come with me. I want you in my bed, today. Please?"

She took a deep breath, accepted his hand and allowed him to help her up from the chair. "Okay."

It was the one word that would change their lives. They didn't speak, simply moved together quickly down the hall and up the stairs. Still holding her hand, he led her to the room at the far end of the second floor. It was a large room, like almost every other room in the mansion. Outfitted in simple furnishings, it suited him to the tee.

Dillon let go of her hand, walked to the window and drew open the shade, allowing the winter sun to stream in. He turned, watching her, "when I make love to you, I want to see you."

He crossed to her, brushing a hand down her cheek. He could feel her trembling and it made him excited. "It's okay," he murmured, capturing her mouth in his. Their first time together had been a race, full of passion. But now, he wanted this gentle moment to show her just how much she meant to him.

He rained kissed down her face, neck, as his hands worked at the buttons of her cotton blouse. Her eyes were closed, a half-smile on her lips. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, drawing the blouse off her arms.

She gripped his arms. "Dillon, I don't know how longer I can stand. The things you're doing to me—"

"I know," he breathed into her ear. "Just a bit longer." He unhooked the clip of her bra and took her breasts into his hands even as she was yanking at his shirt, pulling it over his head. She ran her hands down his lean torso, smiling as he pulled her into his arms and knelt on the bed.

He laid her down, drawing her shoes off her feet and pulling down her jeans. Together, they pulled off his jeans and underwear, moving until they were skin on glorious skin. He took her into his mouth, savoring her flavor. He knew that the taste would never grow old.

Then they were moving together, drawing close to that proverbial cliff, until they fell faster and faster. It was a feeling that neither of them would soon forget.

* * * * *

She felt like singing, like the cat that ate the canary…and just lapped up the entire bowl of cream. She didn't want to open her eyes because she was afraid that if she did, it would all be a dream. A wonderful, exciting dream.

But she did open her eyes. Georgie opened them to Dillon's satisfied face. He stared down at her, a half-worried look in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" she asked credulously. She rolled over so that she was facing him. Then she caught his chin in her hands. "I haven't felt this good in a long, long time…but you don't always have to be gentle with me. I'm tough."

Dillon smiled. "I know. But I want to be gentle, you seem to need gentleness." He captured his mouth in hers.

Her lips curved into a smile. "Dillon, I need to tell you that I love you. I want you to know that."

He leaned back, staring at her. "That's the best thing I've heard today." He smiled now, rolling over as he glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "As much as I'd like to stay here with you, I think that we should get up and get dressed. My daughter's going to be here within the hour."

"Your daughter? She's coming today?" She jumped out of bed before he could stop her, wrapping a sheet around her naked body. She whirled around, searching for the clothing they'd thrown across the room. "I should have called first. I should have waited. I-I'm sorry,"

"Georgie, Georgie." When she didn't respond, he rose, unconcerned at his lack of clothing, and caught her in his arms. She fought for a moment. "Stop. Georgie."

She stopped, staring at him. He closed his eyes, pulling her into his arms. "Stop. I'm so glad that you came today. I needed to be with you. And now that Alex's coming, I want you here. I want to show her us. I want her to accept you as my partner…as perhaps my future wife."

Her eyes widened as she tried to read his face. But he laid a finger over her lips before she could speak.

"I know that you're not ready. But I'm willing to wait. I'll wait as long you need. But stay today; spend time with Alex and I. Please?"

She sighed, looking down, then back at his face. "I'd like to get to know your daughter. I'll stay. But I'd like to get dressed."

He smiled now, letting her go as they both located their clothing. When they were both back to rights, Georgie turned to Dillon. "Is the offer of food still viable? I'm suddenly starving."

"Sure, I'll have cook make us some sandwiches while we wait. Come on," he replied, drawing her down toward the dining room.

But they both knew that they were headed on the road to their future.

* * * * *

Georgie was not one to turn down a meal. She enjoyed food, found the process of the melding of different flavors interesting. After all, she had once had true Italians for in-laws.

But it was awfully hard to think about food when there were giant frogs jumping about in her stomach.

She'd been staring at her sandwich for the better part of ten minutes. She hadn't even made a sound when the maid had refilled their water glasses. Dillon watched her, trying to gauge her mood.

"I thought that you were starving."

She jumped at the sound of his voice. "W-what?"

He motioned to her untouched food. "You were starving…and yet, you haven't touched your sandwich. Is something wrong with it?"

She glanced down at the plate then back at his face. "No, no. It's fine. I'm just not as hungry as I thought I was."

He frowned, his fingers itching to touch her face, to find out what was bothering her. But he didn't want to scare her away. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, so slight that he nearly missed the motion. "No, nothing's wrong—"

"What's wrong?" he repeated, cutting her off.

"I'm just thinking about your daughter and about meeting her. What if she doesn't like me having a part of her father's heart?" she mumbled, feeling foolish at saying her fears aloud.

He threw his head back in laughter, the sound bouncing off the high ceilings. "Is that all? You're worried about Alex liking you?"

She frowned, "how can you laugh? It's a laudable reason to worry. Dillon, I love you. I always have, but your daughter is obviously important to you and I don't want to jeopardize your relationship." She picked up her sandwich, took a small bite to amuse him.

He composed his face, took her hand. "Georgie, I love you. And Alex will just have to get used to the idea—especially since she's going to be living here. But really, Alex and I don't have a super close relationship. She and I have a weekend and summer relationship because she hasn't really lived with me since before her mother and I divorced. I'm certain that she'll love you."

She took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll believe you." She smiled now, even as the housekeeper walked into the room and cleared her throat.

Dillon looked up, "Yes, Nancy?" He still held Georgie's hand.

"Miss Alex is here. Douglas is bringing her bags in as we speak. She's waiting in the parlor," without waiting for an answer, the maid disappeared into the kitchen.

"Here goes nothing," Georgie breathed as Dillon led her out of the dining room and into the front parlor.

* * * * *

Georgie watched as a long-legged blond let out a cry of excitement and launched herself at Dillon.

"It's good to see you, Peach," Dillon murmured into her hair.

"I only saw you two weeks ago," she reminded indignantly. But she tightened her hold on him.

Dillon grinned over her head. She was still her sassy self. "Be that as it may, a lot has changed in the last two weeks." He pulled back and smiled at Georgie. She nodded slightly.

Alex noted the exchange between her father and the cool brunette who was seated on the couch. It gave her a little bit of a jolt to see it. And she wasn't certain how to feel about it. She hugged her father once again and moved to sit on the chair opposite her father and Georgie.

"I can see that," she replied slowly, again noting the worried glance from Georgie to her father.

Dillon could see his daughter's apprehension and knew that he needed to tell her the truth. "Alex, you know that Georgie and I were involved when we were in high school—long before your mother and I were together."

"I know."

He took a deep breath. "Well, I thought that she was dead all these years. And in reality, she was undercover with the WSB. She's back now…and—we've decided to rekindle our relationship."

Alex nodded, not sure what she was supposed to say to that. What did one say when one's father was dating his first flame? "I see…well, that's good. I'm happy for you."

Dillon could see that she was uncomfortable and while not risking a glance at the woman at his side, he suspected the same. "Why don't we all go out for lunch? I think that your homecoming deserves a celebration. Does the Metrocourt suit?"

Alex grinned. "I think that it will suit just fine." She turned to Georgie, who hadn't said a word as of yet. "Do you want to come?"

She began to shake her head. "Oh no, you deserve time with your father. I'll come by later."

"No, you'll come," Alex replied shortly. "You're with my father, so I will accept you. You need to come to lunch." She nodded smartly and rose, intent on making her way upstairs. "I'll be right back. I just need to freshen up."

Dillon waited until they heard the sound of Alex's pounding steps up the stairs before he sighed of relief. "Well, that was awkward."

Georgie smiled. "She didn't expect news like that. Maybe you should have waited."

Dillon shook his head. "No. I don't want to wait. I want our relationship to be exclusive. And Alex will get used to it." He leaned in, capturing her lips with his. "I love you," he whispered.

Alex was rounding the corner of the parlor when she walked in on that very intimate exchange. She wasn't sure how she felt about her father dating again, but Georgie made him happy and that was all that Alex wanted for her father. She cleared her throat and the couple guiltily broke apart.

"It seems that I walked in on a very inopportune moment," she commented as Dillon and Georgie rose quickly. Georgie had snatches of red on her cheeks and she was avoiding Dillon's eye.

"Are we ready to go?" Dillon asked, putting his coat on and handing Georgie hers. Moments later, they were in the Bentley—for a special day deserved a special car—heading into Port Charles.

**Please review!!**


	48. Wishing and Hoping

Miranda stared out the window of the plane. She wasn't really looking at anything in particular, but it was comforting to watch the clouds fly by. She wasn't even paying attention to the sleek jet with its endless amenities. She couldn't stop thinking about what she'd left in Pine Valley.

Her hand snaked its way around her middle as she tried to brush back the tears that threatened. God knew, she'd cried enough to supply water to a small third-world country. And as much as she tried to tell herself that she was okay, she had a hard time believing it.

Of course, she was physically okay. Or at least she would be, in time. Emma had promised her that her body would heal. But right now, Miranda was more worried that her heart would hurt forever.

It wasn't the pain of the cramps or the loss of blood that hurt her; it was the fact that she'd been pregnant for a brief moment and before she'd realized it, her baby was gone. Emma, bless her, had tried to act clinical and had told her that miscarriages were sometimes nature's way of solving a problem. Perhaps the baby would have been born with a problem that was incurable. Maybe it was better that she lost the baby early on before she became too attached to it.

But the problem was, Miranda was already attached to the idea that she had managed to become pregnant after being told that it was impossible.

She knew in her mind that Emma was right. It was better that she lost the baby before she'd really known of its existence. Her heart, on the other hand, was another matter entirely.

Miranda knew that she would have loved the child. She would have tried her hardest to be the best mother and she also knew that Spencer would have been a wonderful father.

That knowledge alone made Miranda want to walk away from him, from their life together, from their love. He deserved someone who could give him children, his own children, heir to the throne. And evidently, she wasn't that person.

She felt him slide onto the seat next to her, tuck a stray hair behind her ear. The action alone made her want to weep with rage. Spencer deserved someone better, someone who wasn't a defect.

"Hey, you're awfully quiet," he whispered, his arm around her shoulders and she felt the tears fall.

He frowned, reaching for a tissue to mop them up. He'd already been doing that since he'd arrived at the hospital yesterday. "Hey, hey, hey. It's okay." He pressed a gentle kiss to her brow and she melted.

She knew that despite her good intentions, there was no way she could give him up. She simply loved him too much. She turned, leaned into his shoulder, her head pillowed by his arm. She needed his strength, was afraid that without him she wouldn't survive.

"Spencer…" she began, looking up at his face. He glanced down worriedly.

"Miranda, don't. We've been over this. I'm not going to dump you just because you may not be able to have a biological child," he sighed. It was an argument they'd already had earlier that morning before they left the hospital.

"But—"

He shook his head, dropping a kiss on her lips this time. "No buts. I love you. That's it for me. I will figure out a way for you to be a mother if that is what you want. But I want you. Any children we have, biological or adopted, will just be really great bonuses." He pulled her into his arms, moving her carefully, for he knew that she was still a little sore.

She couldn't help but smile. "That's good because it would break my heart to give you up."

"Then why were you so determined to do it?"

She looked down, a little embarrassed. "Because I want you to be happy and I know how important an heir to the family fortune is."

"That doesn't matter to me. You matter, we matter. Don't worry about an heir. I love you."

She snuggled closer. "I love you too."

"When you are feeling better and after the holidays, I think that we should take a little trip to Greece. I want to see you naked on a beach. Just the two of us," he grinned now.

"That sounds wonderful. I love you Spencer."

"I love you too, Miranda."

And for the moment, all was well. But they both knew that their heartache was only beginning.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Mattie stood in front of the long mirror in Maxie's bedroom in awe. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't help smiling as she took in her reflection in the mirror. She twirled for the heck of it, enjoying how the beaded bodice glittered in the sunlight that was streaming in through the window.

Maxie stood in the doorway, her hands over her mouth in surprise. "Oh Mattie, you look beautiful," she breathed.

Mattie turned and flashed a thousand-watt smile. "You think?"

"Yes," Maxie moved into the room to take her niece's hand. "Yes, you're gorgeous. Morgan's not going to be able to take his eyes off you. And your father, oh Mattie, Patrick's going to second-guess giving his little girl away."

"I didn't expect something so beautiful. I mean, I knew that whatever you found would be great, but I never thought that it would be like this," Mattie said, fingering the burgundy sash that matched with her colors. "It's perfect."

Maxie smiled now. "Feddie really outdid himself this time."

"Yes, he did. But I must say I think that Morgan will be happier when he can take it off me," Mattie agreed, grinning. She knew that Maxie would think that it was funny.

Maxie slapped her arm slightly. "Oh you! Don't let your father hear you talk like that. He'll never let you walk down the aisle. You may be a grown woman but you're still his baby. And it's a little difficult for a father to imagine his daughter being ravished by a man."

Mattie sobered. "Be that as it may, he wants grandchildren. So he'll have to get used to the idea."

Maxie looked surprised now. "Oh! That's wonderful. Have you and Morgan been discussing children?" she leaned in and hugged her niece, careful of the dress.

"We have, not it great lengths or anything. We're thinking that we'd like to wait at least a year before we try to get pregnant. But we both want them. I think that Carly would kill us if we didn't give her babies to spoil."

"You really like her, don't you?" Maxie mused, smoothing the dress down in the back.

"Well sure, she's going to be my mother-in-law. And once she stopped blaming me because I'm Robin's daughter, she's actually nice. A little over the top, but I can deal with her," Mattie replied, studying herself in the mirror once more.

"I'm so happy that you found your soul mate, Mattie," Maxie said. "You two are going to make magic together."

It was all that anyone could wish for.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Cameron thoroughly enjoyed being a cop. Not only was he following in the footsteps of his father, he'd managed to make a name for himself. He liked the fast-paced work, even in little old Port Chuck. He couldn't even complain about the paperwork.

But if there was one thing he didn't like about his job, it was when interrogations weren't going anywhere.

Cameron turned away from Erosa for a second to gather his thoughts. He needed a new angle. Nothing he'd tried so far was working. Mikhail was a clam.

"Okay pal, I get that your mother raised you and your sister by herself because your father wasn't there. But your mother didn't exactly tell Lansing that he was going to be a daddy, did she?"

Erosa didn't move, didn't make a sound. But Cameron could tell that those carefully built walls were beginning to crumble.

Finally, the wall broke and Erosa turned to face Cameron. "I am not admitting to pulling the trigger. But I wanted Ric Lansing to pay for the pain he caused my mother. She was depressed for years because she believed that he would be coming for her, for us. And she died of a broken heart. Thank God she never knew that the bastard was living the high life with another family."

Cameron walked to the window and motioned to where Lila and the officer stood. They walked into the small room, as Cameron moved behind Erosa and hauled him to his feet. "Mikhail Erosa, I am arresting you for attempted murder in the second degree and for openly admitting to mob involvement. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot get one, then the courts will appoint you one. Do you understand the rights as I have recited them?"

Erosa said nothing, didn't even fight when the officer led him out of the room and into a holding cell. Cameron turned to Lila, smiling. "We did good, _partner_."

Lila smiled, "We did." She hooked an arm through his. "I believe we both have paperwork to deal with now. We need to focus on getting a conviction. Ric Lansing will be pushing for it. Although I'm not certain how he will react when he finds out that Mikhail and Anya are his children for sure." They moved out into the bullpen and she gathered up her briefcase and coat.

"I have to get to the hospital and talk to Lansing. He's getting out today."

"Do you want company," he looked forlornly at his desk. After working so closely with Lila for so long, it was hard to think that it was nearly the end.

She smiled. "No, you do your work. Come over later and bring dinner. Baby's craving some Italian." She put a hand to his cheek and almost stepped away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her to him. He captured her mouth with his in a deep kiss.

When he let her go, she grinned. "Yes, you definitely need to come over later."

"I'll be there. Six o'clock?"

"Fine." She waved and caught a last kiss before she strode out of the precinct.

Cameron knew that they were finally getting back on their feet. Their relationship was looking up. He fingered the velvet box in his pocket. He could only hope that she would accept it soon.

Then they'd truly be able to be a family.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Lila stepped off the elevator and into the fifth floor nurses station. The waiting room was quiet for the most part, with only a few patients and doctors milling about. She saw Mattie standing behind the desk, but hurried down the hall before her friend saw her. She wanted to get her talk with Lansing out of the way before she focused on greeting her friend.

But as she made her way to Ric Lansing's hospital room, she stopped when she saw a pretty Latino nurse. Anya Erosa. Taking a deep breath, Lila pasted a smile on her face and detoured to where the woman was updating charts. "Ms. Erosa?"

Anya looked up, surprised. "Yes?" she set her papers aside as Lila sat across from her on the chair.

"I'm Lila Alcazar. I'm Ric Lansing's lawyer and I've been consulting on your brother's case."

"I know who you are," Anya replied darkly. "What do you want?"

"I want to tell you before you hear it from the press. Your brother has been arrested for attempted murder." Lila frowned as she studied the woman. "But you aren't surprised." It was said as a statement, not a question and had Anya's eyes glinting in brief anger.

Anya sighed, knowing that her charade was up. "No, I'm not surprised. Counselor, I've lived my entire life in this little glass box, where nothing could hurt me, where I was put because my grandfather and my brother were in the mob. I'm not completely stupid. I knew what they were doing and still, I let them do it. And now it's coming back to bite my brother is the ass." She rose, glanced back at Lila. "Look, I have rounds to do. Thanks for telling me. Then I have to figure out where my life is going."

"Ms. Erosa, I wanted to tell you this because Ric Lansing is—well, he's your biological father," Lila blurted out.

Anya stopped, turned. "I know. I've always known. Mikhail has held a grudge for as long as I can remember."

"I have a feeling that Lansing's going to want to know you. And you have sisters. They'll want to know you too. I just want to warn you," Lila said quickly, knowing that Anya didn't want to hear it.

"Right now, I don't care. Excuse me, counselor." Anya walked away without waiting for an answer.

Lila shook her head, rose quickly, and hurried down the hall to Lansing's room. She knocked, waited until she heard an okay and walked inside. Ric Lansing was dressed in street clothes, gathering up his belongings. Claudia Zacchara, mother to his youngest daughter stood in front of the window, glowering.

Lila raised her eyebrows and stepped back. "I'll come back. I can see that you are busy."

Ric shook his head. "No, I'm not busy. Claudia was just lecturing me on my children."

Claudia snorted. "I was simply telling him that it's crazy to get his hopes up. Molly and Sarah already avoid him like the plague. Who's to say that these new kids of his will take to him?"

"Maybe it'll be different. Maybe because they're adults, they'll reason," Ric protested, zipping up the travel bag. He turned to Lila, "What do you think?"

"I think that Claudia's partly right. I just saw Anya Erosa outside and she wants nothing to do with you or your other daughters. I'm here to talk to you about your case," Lila said, setting her briefcase down on the edge of the bed.

Claudia turned now, her interest piqued. "Ooh, what interesting news. It just gets better and better, doesn't it Ric?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's a damned soap opera. What news Lila?" he asked, looking at Lila and plainly ignoring Claudia's words.

"Mikhail Erosa was arrested today, just now, for attempted murder. He may not have pulled the trigger, but we have enough motive to convict him. He's quite the character," Lila said, half-smiling. She proceeded to explain why Erosa held such a grudge against Ric, while Claudia hooted with laughter.

"I don't recall Marianna Erosa ever contacting me," Ric said. "After I found out that she was working for my father, I refused to help her with her citizenship and she was deported back to Argentina. I never heard from her again."

"Obviously it was better that she didn't. You can barely handle the two kids you've got. Two more would have been terrifying," Claudia said dryly. She grabbed her purse and walked to the door. "I'm going to tell Sarah about this, Ric. She deserves to know—and while I'm at it, I might as well tell Molly."

The door closed softly behind her before Ric could answer. He sighed, "It's probably better this way. Neither Sarah nor Molly has very warm to me. And you're right, it's doubtful that Anya or Mikhail Erosa will be either."

"Mikhail Erosa will hopefully go to prison for a long time. I hope that finding out that he is your long-lost son won't cloud your judgment and make you not want to press charges," Lila said. She was half-afraid that she'd be right and then a mobster would go free. At least this way, she was one her way toward her life-long goal of making Port Charles mob-free.

Ric shook his head as a nurse poked her head in the room. "Ready to go, Mr. Lansing?"

"Just another moment."

Lila waited until the nurse was gone and they were alone. "I will proceed with the trial now that you've given consent. You may be called upon to testify—especially since you were involved with Marianna Erosa and nearly married her."

"Thank you, Ms. Alcazar, for everything you've done. I really appreciate the fact that you've put so much into my shooting," Ric said as an orderly arrived with a wheelchair.

Lila walked out ahead of Ric and the orderly and smiled. "It was my pleasure. Thanks for the opportunity to exercise my talents as a lawyer."

And thank you Ric, Lila thought as she walked down the hallway toward the elevator, thanks for bringing the father of my baby and the love of my life to me.

**Please review! Also, there is a link to the picture of the wedding dress that Federico made for Mattie on my profile. Thanks for reading!**


	49. Christmas Part 1

Lila moved around the room, making certain that the decorations she'd put up for the holidays were set. Outside her window, snow swirled in the air, an appropriate addition to Christmas Eve.

She pressed a hand to her belly. It wasn't the baby this time that was making her queasy. No, she thought wryly, it was nerves. She was terrified of what would happen when Cameron came over. She was half-afraid that he would ask her to marry him and she was more than half-afraid that she would accept.

It wasn't that she didn't want to marry Cameron.

She did. It was just that she wanted it to be about them, not about the baby. And she knew that Cameron was anything if not honorable. He'd marry her for the baby in a heartbeat.

But was it wrong of her to want them to be married because they loved each other and not for the baby they'd created?

Lila shook her head. There was no sense in worrying about it. She needed to put it out of her mind. It was only right. She had the love of a wonderful man, a baby on the way and all that mattered that now, today. They'd worry about the future later.

She turned away from the window when she heard a knock on her door. Smiling now, she went to open it. Cameron stood on the other side, bogged down by a handful of packages.

She laughed, taking a few boxes from him. "What have you done?"

He moved inside, dropping the rest of the packages under the little tree she'd put up for the occasion. "Just for Christmas. For you and the baby."

She smiled again, refusing to listen to the little voice in her head that told her to run like the wind. "That's sweet of you. I'm hoping that you also brought food."

He grinned, leaning down and capturing her in a kiss. "I did. Burgers from Kelly's. I begged Lulu to make up the order before she closed for the holidays."

"Perfect." She drew him into the kitchen. "I know that we usually have the dinner portion after the sex portion, but I'm starving. Baby's screwing with my love life. So maybe, just this once, we can eat first?"

He chuckled. "Anything to keep Baby happy. I'll get some plates." He walked to the cupboard, pulled down plates and glasses. Lila grabbed the sparkling cider from the refrigerator and forks from the cutlery drawer. Within minutes, they had food on their plates and cider in their wine glasses. Lila was amazed at how easily they moved together. It was almost…domestic.

Funny, she thought as she bit into the burger, she was beginning to think that maybe marriage wasn't such a scary idea.

"This is really good," she said around a mouth-full of food. Cameron grinned at her and ate a French fry. "Lulu really outdid herself."

"She's rooting for us, you know. She wants us to have our happy ending."

"I'm sure she is," Lila replied dryly, taking a sip of her cider. "Everyone else is."

"_I_ want us to have a happy ending, Lila," Cameron said quietly, wiping his hands off with his napkin and reaching for her hands.

She began to resist. It was habit, she thought, backing out when the going got tough. It was a habit, she realized, that she was beginning to break. She took a deep breath, relaxed her hands when his grip tightened.

"I know, Cameron, I know."

"I love you, Lila. I want a future with you, with our baby. We created this life. We need to be responsible for it."

Her eyes began to fill and she pulled her hands from his. Standing up, she paced the small space. "That's just it! Don't you get it? I don't want this baby to be a responsibility. I want to marry you, I do. But I can't until I'm certain that I'm marrying you because you love _me_ and not because you are being honorable!"

Cameron closed his eyes, sat back in his chair. "Lila. I love _you._ I've been in love with you, long before we ever found out about the baby. I was planning on wearing you down. I know how you are about commitment. I was going to get you to fall in love with my and realize that you can't live without me. Because I know that I can't live without you. The baby just sped things up a bit."

She stopped pacing, turned, and faced him. She knew that he wasn't lying, that he'd never lie to her about something so important. "Cameron. I know that you love me. I've always known. Perhaps the game of chase was safer for me. It didn't require me to commit to anything." She stopped, placed a hand on her belly. "But this does. I need to be responsible for this. For our baby. And for you. Because I've only begun to realize that I've been hurting you, as much as myself. I've shut you out. I don't know if it was intentional. It just happened. I shut you out and it hurt all of us. For that, I'm sorry. I love you and if you still want to get married, I do too. More than anything. I want to be a family with you. With you and Baby."

He smiled, reached up and pulled her into her chair. "I will cherish you forever, Lila. I will do anything for you and for our baby." He stood now, moved around the table, knelt in front of her chair.

"Lila Rae Alcazar, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked, fumbling as he pulled out the little black box from his pocket. Her eyes filled when he opened it and presented her with the ring.

She put a hand to her mouth. "Oh Cameron." Then she smiled. "Yes, yes. I will most definitely marry you. As long as you promise that it won't be a long engagement. I want to marry before I look like a blimp gliding down the aisle."

He laughed and slipped the ring on her finger. She threw her arms around his neck. "I think that that can be arranged."

Lila pulled back, looked into his eyes. She took his hand, laid it on her belly. "I love you Cameron Spencer. And so does our baby."

Overcome by emotion, he pulled her back into his arms, burying his face in her hair. He couldn't believe that she was his. That everything was right in his world. He had Lila and they had their baby.

It was better than any gift under the Christmas tree.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Carly stopped in the doorway of her living room when she saw the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree. It was so beautiful, she thought, and it made her think of the days when her children had been small. She'd always believed that Christmas was for children, but since she sometimes thought of herself as still a child, she figured that she could love Christmas just as much and without any qualms.

Obviously Jax had taken her love of Christmas to heart when he went shopping, she thought, noting the abundance of wrapped gifts beneath the tree's leafy arms. She walked further into the room, breathing in the cedar scent. She'd always insisted on a live tree because it made everything seem more real.

She moved closer to the tree, and with a quick glance to see that no one was watching, picked up one of the gifts at random. She rattled it slightly, disappointed when she heard nothing. Either it was well insulated or it was something soft. Something like socks, she thought disdainfully. Socks weren't the kind of gift one gave at Christmas.

"Snooping, are we?" a voice from behind her asked.

Carly whirled around, the gift still in her hand. Jax leaned against the door jam, eyeing his wife. He knew her habits, suspected that today wasn't the first time she'd come in and tried to rattle the boxes.

"No, no. I—was just rearranging. It was sticking out into the walkway," Carly replied with an air of shock. She acted as if she couldn't believe that he would assume something like that.

Jax chuckled and walked further into the living room. The entire room—no, the entire house—was decked out in Christmas fancy. Carly had definitely gone overboard, which was nothing new. Carly always did things over the top.

It was just one of the many things he loved about her.

"I see," Jax replied, moving over and pulling her into his arms. "I love you."

She smiled, twisting to look into his eyes. "I love you too. And you know me, I _hate_ surprises. Why can't I just open _one _gift?"

Jax laughed again, resting his chin on her head. "You're worse than one of the kids."

"Who's worse than one of the kids?" Morgan called out from the foyer where he and Mattie were shedding their coats and scarves.

Carly let out a little cry of delight, rushed out of Jax's arms and into Morgan's. "Oh I'm so glad that you were able to get here okay. With the snow and everything." She slipped out of her son's embrace and pulled Mattie into one of her own. Mattie looked a little nervous.

"The roads are fine. The plows have been out in anticipation for the snow," Morgan replied, moving to free his fiancé from his mother's gasp. "Mom, don't scare her away before we can get to the altar."

Mattie tossed him a grateful glance and thrust a gift box into Carly's hands. "Here. It's from me. In addition to the one from both Morgan and I."

Carly's eyes widened happily. "Thanks." She looked slyly at her husband who shook his head. "Spoilsport," she muttered and made a great deal out of placing it underneath the Christmas tree.

Morgan crossed into the living room. "But seriously, who's worse than one of us?" He stopped to take in the beautifully decorated tree. His mother had innumerable decorators at her fingertips, but refused them and was adamant about doing the decorating of the house herself.

And he had to admit, she'd done a spectacular job.

"Your mother," Jax replied dryly. "She is practically begging me to open one of the gifts. She just can't wait for things to happen naturally."

"I'm just excited," Carly piped up, defending herself. "I've always been like this. It shouldn't be a surprise. I don't like surprises—unless I'm in on them."

"That's why we work so hard to keep you out of them," Victoria commented, strolling into the room. She wore a long sweater and black leggings. In her arms, she held a large box. Morgan jumped up to take the box from her and put it under the tree. She smiled her thanks and moved over to hug her mother. "But that's okay, we love you anyway."

Carly laughed and squeezed her youngest daughter. "Nice of you to make an appearance."

Victoria leaned back, raised an eyebrow. "It's Christmas Morning in Greece. I was talking to Antonio."

Morgan leaned closer. He knew of his little sister's long-time beau and wasn't sure how he felt about it. "Antonio. You're still into him?"

Victoria frowned and turned to face her brother. "_Yes_. Why would you ask that? I've only been seeing him formally for three years and have known him for two years longer."

"You're too young if you ask me," Morgan muttered under his breath, but Victoria heard him.

"Well no one asked you, did they?" she shot back even as Mattie elbowed him in the ribs. He frowned at his fiancée as if she were mental.

Carly rolled her eyes and moved over to sit between her children's line of sight. "Let's all get along, kids. It's Christmas and I'd like the illusion to remain that I raised three gorgeous, well-behaved, rational adults."

"Well, you don't have to worry about Rachel," Victoria muttered and turned to Mattie. "You really should control your fiancée, Mattie. He has this idea that I'm still six years old and in pigtails."

"At least then you'd be safe from Greek boys who only want one thing," Morgan muttered and Victoria glared at him but said nothing when she met her mother's eye.

Carly turned to Mattie. "So, I saw your aunt yesterday. She said that the final fitting of your dress went well."

Mattie nodded and smiled. "Yes, Federico really outdid himself on it. He's so enthralled with Maxie that he'd probably do cartwheels down the Brooklyn Bridge if she asked. She was a little disappointed that she wasn't the one to make my dress." She turned to Morgan, gripped his hand, smiled. "But we didn't want to wait."

"I want to get you to the altar before you can think about anything else," Morgan answered, leaning over and kissing her.

"Get a room!" Victoria grumbled, a smile teasing at her mouth. Then she turned to her father.

"Where is Rachel?" She demanded, frowning.

Jax shrugged. "I'm sure she's on her way. She probably got caught up. She's been doing work for both ELQ and _Lady's Court_ for weeks."

"She's becoming overworked," Carly commented. "I tried to get her to come to the hotel for a spa treatment, but she started muttering about decorators and a retail location. She's too far gone." It was easy to tell how proud Carly was of her daughter, despite her worries.

"I don't believe it's polite to discuss someone who isn't in the room," Rachel muttered, striding into the room. She still wore her work clothes, having obviously just come from ELQ.

Carly rose, walked to greet her daughter. She placed a gentle kiss on Rachel's cheek. "We were just saying how dedicated you are. It's not easy to juggle two full-time jobs."

Rachel shrugged, accepting a glass of wine from her father, who was pouring for everyone. "It's my job. And I'm excellent at keeping the balls afloat."

Victoria snickered behind her hand. "And yet, she does not have a beau or anyone remotely special." The comment earned a bland look from her mother and a horrified look from her sister. "No balls there to keep up."

"That's a little inappropriate, don't you think?" Rachel asked, credulously. She couldn't believe that her little sister would say something like that. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

Jax rose, reached for his wine glass. "On that note, why don't we get this celebration started? First, a toast." He lifted his wine glass. "To the wonderful news of Mattie and Morgan's engagement. To Victoria's successful graduation from College. To Rachel following her business dreams. To family." He knocked his glass with his wife and Mattie, who sat nearest to him. "And lastly, to you, Carly. Mother of my children and love of my life."

When the toasts were made, Victoria stood and walked to the tree to resume her traditional position as Santa Clause. She began passing out gifts and wished everyone a happy Christmas.

Carly sat back, watched her family. Christmas wasn't just for children, she thought. No, it was for family, no matter how old they were.

Because, by God, she'd managed to raise three beautiful, successful, and all-around great children.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So we are definitely nearing the end. I'm thinking that at least two more chapters will be devoted to Christmas and soon after that will be Mattie and Morgan's wedding. I've already started the epilogue and it's already two chapters. Keep reviewing! Thanks for Reading!**


	50. Christmas Part 2

Miranda walked to the top of the stairs. From up there she could hear the noise of family. It was a nice noise, she thought, especially for Spencer who was habitually alone when his family was back in Greece. Usually she enjoyed visiting with Nadine, Spencer's step-mother or just being with his lovely sisters.

But today it reminded her of what she'd lost. When she saw Nadine with her daughters, Miranda couldn't help but think that if she had had a girl, she'd want their relationship to be like that: easy, loving, fun. It was the same way with Spencer and Nickolas. If their baby had been a boy, she would hope that Spencer and his son would have a relationship like he did with his own father.

She shook her head, pushing the thoughts from it. It was Christmas Eve, she thought, and here she was, gloom settled around. By tactic agreement, she and Spencer had decided that it was unnecessary to discuss their loss with his family. It wasn't as if they'd known about the baby before it was too late. There was no point bringing that sad news to the table on Christmas.

Still, Miranda couldn't get it out of her head. She took a deep breath, started down the stairs. She knew that the girls would be going to bed soon and would do their Christmas rituals. She didn't want to miss those.

When she stopped at the bottom of the stairs, Spencer walked out to greet her. He moved up to her, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. She was struggling not to cry. She didn't know how he could be so calm about everything.

He frowned, pulling back to study her face. "You need to shut down for a few hours," he decided. He could all but see the wheels turning in her head. She was running on fumes, he thought. He'd noted that she'd barely touched her food at dinner or at any other meal in the last few days.

She smiled, snuggling closer to him as they walked toward the happy laughter. "I'm fine, Spence. I am a little tired, but soon we'll all be going to bed." She leaned up, kissed him hard and long. "I love you Spencer."

"I love you too, Miranda."

They walked into the living room. In the far corner, a giant evergreen tree stood regally, decked out in traditional Cassadine Christmas finery. The mantle above the fireplace was laid in evergreens and red berries. It was, Miranda thought, one of the best decorated houses, she'd ever spent the holidays in.

Nickolas sat in front of the blazing fireplace sipping brandy. It was his weakness, Miranda knew. Something he only partook in on nights like this one where outside their windows, snow and winds blew. Nadine sat on the arm of her husband's chair, watching her daughters agonize over their decision of the _one_ gift they were allowed to open on Christmas Eve.

"Girls, you need to make your choice. Or it will be too late and Santa will just fly right past."

Laura frowned and lifted her head to face her mother. "_Mom_! We're too old to believe in Santa Clause. We're not six anymore."

"Now you tell me that Santa's not real?" Spencer moaned for effect. "Laura, you just ruined every Christmas from now on." Laura stuck her tongue out at her big brother.

Miranda smiled and slipped out of Spencer's arm. She moved to sit beside the girls on the floor beneath the tree. "It's a hard choice, isn't it?"

"There are so many things to consider," Natasha mused, studying two brightly wrapped boxes. "Do you want to open a box which could hold anything from clothes to books? Or would you rather open an odd-shaped gift that could be a game or something particular?" She set one of the boxes back under the tree, rose and walked to the couch. "I chose the square box."

Miranda turned to Laura. "What about you?"

Laura glanced back at her sister who was calmly waiting on the couch before she closed her eyes and plucked a gift at random. "That," she decided, "shows that sometimes consideration takes too much of the fun out of it."

Nadine laughed quietly even as Nickolas snickered behind his brandy. Spencer grinned and leaned down, pulling Miranda to her feet.

Being the youngest had its advantages, Miranda thought, as Laura opened her gift before her sister. Laura's eyes widened when she found that her gift contained a brand-new digital camera. She was a budding photographer and it was the perfect gift. She looked up at her, smiled. "It's perfect."

Natasha calmly removed the tape off her gift until she could take off the paper in one piece. When she opened it to reveal a new cashmere sweater, she held it up to her face. "Thanks," she said to her parents. "I love it."

"It's from Milan," Nadine supplied. "I saw it and knew that you'd love it."

"The color suits you, Tasha," Miranda replied. Just then the clock in the other room clanged ten o'clock. Nickolas stood, motioned to his daughters. "Bedtime. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

Laura groaned for effect, but stood and moved to kiss her parents and Spencer and Miranda. "Good night!" She called, before disappearing around the corner where they could hear her pounding up the stairs.

Natasha rose as well, hugging her sweater. She bid her parents goodnight. Just as she was about to walk out of the room, Spencer caught her in a hug. "I love you, Tasha," he said quietly so only that she could here.

She smiled, placed a kiss on Miranda's cheek before following her sister up the stairs, albeit more softly.

Nadine yawned and stretched out to take her husband's hand. "I'm tired. Take me up?"

"Definitely," Nickolas said, tugging her closer. He turned to his son as he and his wife prepared to make their way upstairs. "You'll bank the fire?"

Spencer nodded, moved to kiss his mother's cheek. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas. To the both of you," Nadine replied, caught Miranda's hand in her free one. "It's a time to reflect on what has happened and on how to make it better." She tugged her husband out of the room and whispering could be heard as they walked toward their bedroom.

Spencer turned to Miranda, pulled her close. "She's right, you know."

"I know," Miranda replied, placing a kiss on his cheek. She too pulled him toward the stairs. "It's been so long since we've been together—really together. Please Spence, heal me."

Saying nothing, Spencer gripped her closer, taking her mouth into his. She closed her eyes, letting him take her. Letting him heal her. Together, they pulled each other up the stairs and turned toward the west wing to their own bedroom.

This was the most important part of healing, Miranda thought: trust.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*HG**

Georgie opened one eye. She was nestled in Dillon's arms, having spent the entire night with him. It was out of her natural milieu, she thought, lazily tracing a finger down his arm. She didn't usually stay the night when offered.

But being with Dillon was different.

There was no pressure, no assumptions, nothing that made it difficult. Perhaps it was their age, their experience that made the relationship so easy. Whatever it was, Georgie thought again, it wasn't worth her time in figuring it out. She wanted to just enjoy it.

Dillon shifted to look at her face. "You're thinking again."

She smiled. He'd done his best to distract her from any solid thoughts all night long. "I'm just thinking that it's Christmas Morning and Alex is probably up and waiting for us to come down."

"So maybe we should go down," Dillon replied, shifting so that he pulled her on him. "In a few minutes."

She laughed as they rolled together. And was still laughing when he slipped inside her.

*** * * * * **

Alex crept into the living room. It was quiet. The only sound was her stocking feet moving quickly across the carpet. The Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room, brightly lit in a swath of colors and decorated in heirlooms.

It was times like these that made Alex proud to be a Quartermaine.

The idea that she had this heritage, this legacy, however blighted, to live up to made her feel like she belonged somewhere. All her life, she'd grown up between her parents. In Llanview, she knew that she was loved but still felt as though her existence was forced.

And now that she was living with her father, she felt that she really belonged somewhere.

Smiling now, Alex curled herself into one of the big armchairs. She glanced skyward, thinking that her father and Georgie were probably together. She believed that her father was happy with Georgie. It was better that way, she thought, to have her father actually be happy with something. And she wouldn't mind having Georgie as a step-mother someday in the near future.

There was too much sadness in life that it made the happiness seemed even more special. Alex had always told herself that she would try to get along with whomever her father dated or married. But it helped a lot that she actually enjoyed Georgie. She was fun to be around and so very knowledgeable about a variety of things.

A noise in the foyer startled her and she rose from the chair to investigate. As she moved into the foyer, Dillon and Georgie were making their way down the stairs.

"Good morning," she called happily. "I'll go have Cook make some coffee."

Dillon glanced at Georgie as they moved into the living room. "You were right. She was already up."

Georgie smiled wisely. "You forget that I had a daughter once." Despite her smile, her eyes were cloudy. She frowned now, wiping furiously at her eyes. "Damn it. I told myself I wouldn't cry."

Dillon stopped walking, pulled her into his arms. "It's okay." He tipped up her head. "It's hard at times like this. Family times."

"Yeah, but I've already spent so many times like that without them that the crying is few and far between. Being with you and Alex reminded me of what I don't have."

"You're wrong." A voice from the doorway made them both break apart and turn.

Alex walked into the room, pushing a little teacart with coffee and Cook's famous holiday monkey bread. She stopped in front of the fireplace, busied herself with pouring and serving the fragrant brew. "You do have family time," she began quietly. "I hope that being with my dad and I will help you believe that you aren't so alone anymore."

Georgie cocked her head, wondered briefly how such a young and beautiful girl could be so wise. She moved away from Dillon to capture Alex's hands in hers. "Thank you, sweetheart. For saying something like that. Because I'm beginning to realize that very same thing." She turned back to Dillon, laid a hand on his face and kissed him hard. "Thank you. Now what do you say? Should we open some presents?"

Alex cheered as she passed her father a cup of coffee. When they were seated in front of the tree, opening gifts, she smiled again.

She may have been lucky to come from the Quartermaine legacy, but she knew building a family as this one took work.

And she was more than ready to contribute a nudge or two to make certain that her father and Georgie became her family.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

"Mom!"

The call was punctuated by the pounding of stocking feet over the hardwood floors. Maxie groaned, turned to tug the pillow over her head. "Five more minutes. Please?"

Their bedroom door was shoved open and the sound grew closer to the bed. "Dad?" The voice had dropped to a whisper.

Spinelli turned to wink at his wife before glancing at the glowing face of his youngest daughter. "Jamie. It's only seven in the morning. Could we wait another hour?"

Jamie's face fell. "But it's Christmas. Christmas Morning. And I think that Santa came." She tugged on his arm. "Please wake up. If we open presents now, then you guys can nap later."

Spinelli eyed his closed-eyed wife. "See that? See how considerate our daughter is?"

"She's a jewel," Maxie mumbled, wincing when her husband pinched her thigh. "Please…I just want to sleep."

"Your daughter is waiting."

"Right now she's your daughter. If she were _my _daughter, she would let me sleep."

"I'm still here!" Jamie said loudly. And had Maxie covering her eyes with her pillow.

Spinelli chuckled, reached out to pat Jamie's head. "I'll tell you what? Go downstairs, get your sister, and pick the first present to open. Your mother and I will be down in five minutes."

Jamie cocked her head skeptically. "Promise?"

"Promise," Spinelli answered confidently.

Jamie flashed him a grin and raced out of the room at a dead run. They could hear her calling for Fiona. Spinelli rolled over, tugged the pillow from his wife's face. He captured her mouth in his, giving her a quick taste.

She rolled the other direction, pushed her hands against his chest. "Oh no you don't. This is what kept me from sleeping last night. We are not starting anything this morning."

He laughed out loud, pulling her in for one last kiss. "Don't worry. I promised that we'd be down in five minutes. And it's going to take more than that to accomplish what I had in mind." He rolled out of bed, pushing the covers back as his feet hit the floor. "Makes you look forward to tonight, doesn't it?"

She flipped him a saucy grin and rose from the bed. Grabbing her robe off the floor where he'd tossed it the night before, she slipped it on and walked to the door. "Ready?

He smiled, grabbing her hand as they walked down the stairs. "Always."

* * * * *

Maxie picked up another piece of wrapping paper and tossed it in the garbage bag. It always amazed her that it took an entire month to prepare for the holidays and only an hour to be done with it. She smiled when she thought of how excited her girls had been when they'd finished opening gifts.

Even Fiona had smiles on her face.

Maxie knew that she should be grateful for Georgie's intervention. Ever since Fiona had talked to Georgie, there had been a definite change. Like she'd told her sister, Maxie understood how short life was. But maybe after all these years, she'd forgotten how it easy it was to lose those chances.

She bent down, drew up a piece of ribbon, and smiled when her gaze fell to the diamond tennis bracelet that had been Spinelli's gift to her. Rising, she tossed the ribbon scrap in the bag and nodded, satisfied that her work was done.

"You live your gift?"

Maxie whirled around at the sound of her husband's voice. Then she smiled. "Yes, it's beautiful. Thank you."

"And I thank you for mine as well. The book of poetry was nice."

She smiled, moved closer to him. He caught her in a hug, lowering his mouth to hers. "I love you. I love that you remembered the poetry from all those years ago" he whispered.

She smiled, resting her forehead against his. "You know, back then I thought that the idea of courtly love was ridiculous and a little silly. But now, I'm pretty glad that I let you convince me of it."

Spinelli pulled her away so that he could see her smile. "It worked. And that makes your gift of poetry that much more special."

"No more special then jewelry," Maxie mused, lifting her hand to watch the bracelet catch on the lights. It twinkled much like their Christmas tree.

Spinelli shook his head. "It's the same, but a different kind of special. Different people, different meanings."

Maxie frowned, cocked her head. "Now you make me sound shallow."

Spinelli laughed, gave her a smacking kiss and a pat on the butt. "I believe that you dug yourself into that hole. And I've heard you call yourself shallow before."

Maxie rolled her eyes just as she heard voices rise in the kitchen. "Be that as it may, I don't like the idea of my husband of so many years calling me shallow. And on that note, we'd better get on with breakfast. I think that Georgie should be coming home soon." She walked into the kitchen, still gripping her husband's hands.

Jamie stood by the table, attempting to pour orange juice into the glasses. Fiona was at the stove, checking on the cinnamon rolls in the oven.

"Are you worried about her?" Spinelli asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Maxie turned away from the oven where she'd lifted out the steaming rolls. "Not in the slightest. I know that Dillon would never do anything that could hurt her. And she's getting past her loss to move on. I'm so happy for her."

Spinelli nodded, watching his wife. He knew that she was telling the truth. Maxie had complete faith in the fact that Georgie belonged with Dillon Quartermaine. He sat down in his chair, waited until the rest of his family had taken theirs.

Maxie smiled at her husband as they said prayers and dished out the food. She knew that no matter what sort of issues they went through as a family, they were still a family. It was important to remember that, and it was the holidays that served as a reminder. In looking back at the last year, of all they'd lost and gained, she learned to cherish was you have and to move on from what you lost.

All in all, it was definitely a Christmas to remember.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So here's the last Christmas chapter. I hope that it lived up to your expectations. I like the family interaction where simple things are discussed and there's not too much drama. I think that those scenes are just as important as the more dramatic, emotion-driven ones. Please stay tuned for Mattie and Morgan's wedding. I hope to have the first chapter of that up tomorrow evening at the very latest. I will have two chapters of the wedding and two chapters of an epilogue. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy!**


	51. Mattie and Morgan's Wedding Part 1

Mattie smiled when she heard whispers outside her bedroom door. She'd spent the night at her father's house, in her childhood bedroom, for one last time before she walked down the aisle to marry Morgan.

She shifted, tugging the blankets down. Trust her not to be the cliché nervous bride on her wedding day. But she had no butterflies in her stomach, no worries on her mind. She knew that she was doing the best thing.

After all, she'd only been in love with Morgan Corinthos for half her life.

So by now, fourteen years later, she knew that she was making the right decision. There was simply no other option. Mattie honestly couldn't imagine not marrying Morgan. And now she was nearly there.

She let out a little giggle as the whispers outside her door grew louder and a quiet knock rang out. Sighing, she rose from the bed and reached for her robe. Belting the silk garment, she crossed to open the door just as it was being opened from the outside. Molly and Mackenzie fell into her arms when the door opened.

"Good morning, my sweet sister!" Mackenzie exclaimed throwing her arms around Mattie in a hug.

"Hi. Were the two of you coming to get me up?"

Molly nodded. "It's eight. Your wedding is at three. You need to take a shower and get to the church by at least noon."

Mattie rolled her eyes. "That's still four hours away. And I don't know about you, but it doesn't take me that long to shower."

"Ha ha. But I have direct orders from your aunt to make certain that you get to the church in time," Molly replied, tugging on Mattie's long ponytail in retaliation.

"Hey, hey, hey. Quit that," Mackenzie brushed Molly's fingers away from her sister's hair. "She needs to have hair to put up today. No touching."

Molly grinned, leaned in to kiss Mattie's cheek. "I'm so happy for you. You deserve to find a really great man like Morgan."

"Don't worry, we'll make sure that you're at the front of the line for the throwing of the bouquet," Mackenzie said dryly, giving Molly's shoulder a comforting pat. She grinned at Mattie.

"Yes, you will be in front. Now, both of you, go! I can get myself in the shower. Go get yourselves a cup of coffee. I'll be down in a little while." With a hand to both their shoulders, she pushed them out into the hallway. "Go!" She shut the door behind them with a smart slam.

Mackenzie turned to Molly. "Think she's nervous?"

Molly shook her head. "Nah. She wouldn't be nervous over something like this. She's been in love with him since before she really knew that love was."

"Good. Now about that coffee. I brought pastries." Mackenzie led the way downstairs.

"Pastries? I'm supposed to fit into my dress today," Molly moaned when they'd reached the kitchen.

Mackenzie grinned wickedly. "Live dangerously." She broke a cheese Danish in two and handed half to Molly.

"Well if it's only half. I'll run double-time tomorrow," Molly said with her mouth full. She glanced up toward the ceiling, thinking of Mattie as she prepared for her wedding.

Mackenzie followed her glance. "You know most women only dream about finding that perfect man. I'd say that Mattie found hers all right."

Molly grinned. "And I'd say that you are correct in that statement. Now we better hurry so that she makes it to the altar in time."

But they both knew that Mattie was anything if not perpetually prompt.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

Morgan stood in front of the mirror in one of the back rooms at St. Timothy's. He was dressed and ready to go, even though he still had two hours before the actual ceremony began.

He smoothed down the black suit, thinking that Maxie had made a good choice in wedding clothes. He was grateful that Mattie's aunt had taken over the wedding planning because it meant that his own wife-to-be wasn't stressed at all.

It was strange, he thought, to call Mattie his wife. Even though he'd been in love with her for years, it was entirely different now that they were to be married.

But he didn't doubt that he was making the wrong decision. After all, he'd been in love with her for so long that a wedding was only a formality. They were already together forever in his eyes. And now the wedding would make it legal.

Smiling now, Morgan stepped back from the mirror. He pictured Mattie in the bridal suite down the hall, with her aunts and other female relatives. He knew that he wasn't much for those female necessities that marriage brought, but would deal with them because it made her family happy.

Morgan knew that making her happy would be easy. He loved her and she loved him. That was enough for now. He thought of the little house he'd been eyeing. That would make her happy, he knew. Their own house, their home together, a far cry from their little apartments.

Because she'd lived with Sarah Lansing for years, she'd already planned to move into Morgan's apartment in Harborview Towers after the wedding and honeymoon. Sarah would be gaining a new roommate in Mattie's younger sister Mackenzie.

Morgan hoped that she would like the house and they could put a down payment on it after they returned from their weeklong honeymoon sojourn in the Caribbean.

No, Morgan thought as he straightened his shirt, he knew that he could never make a wrong decision when it came to Mattie. Perhaps it was because they'd been in a committed relationship since she was in high school. Or it was because they hadn't been able to imagine anyone else in their lives.

But whatever the reason, he was not experiencing those so-called pre-wedding jitters.

"You look pretty deep in thought," a voice from behind him in the doorway commented. "Second thoughts?"

Morgan turned to see his step-father smiling broadly at him. "Never. I was just thinking how I couldn't possibly make a wrong decision when it comes to Mattie."

"I'm proud of you, Morgan," Jax replied, walking into the room.

"Thanks. I'm pretty proud of myself. I managed to catch the eye of the most beautiful girl in the world," Morgan said with a smile teasing his lips.

"I want you to know that your mother and I are so happy that you and Mattie are finally getting married. Your mother especially regrets the way she treated Mattie over the years. I think that it was mostly sentimental, because of Robin," Jax said, with his hand on Morgan's shoulder.

"That's what Mattie says. But I still think that she's a little intimidated by Mom."

Jax laughed out loud. "Well, your mom can be a little intimidating at times. She'll be fine by the time you two have your first child."

Morgan coughed awkwardly. "Well. We haven't really discussed when on that front so she may have to wait a while."

Jax smiled when he saw that Morgan was a little uncomfortable. "That's fine. We're not talking about that today anyway."

A knock on the door made both men turn. Carly stood in the doorway. She smiled and opened her arms when she saw Morgan standing in this tux.

"Oh my baby, you look so handsome," she said, moved to hug him. He tightened his arms around her, burying his face in her hair.

"I love you, Mom."

She pulled back, holding his face in her hands. "I love you too, Morgan Corinthos. And by God, I raised a gorgeous man."

Morgan smiled, kissing her cheek. "Thanks for that."

"It's true." She motioned to his dapper clothes. "I mean, look at yourself. You're handsome."

Morgan laughed and hugged his mother again. "If that is your way of distracting me from pre-wedding nerves, you can stop. I am nerve-free. I have no issues with the idea of giving up bachelorhood and marrying Mattie. She's already been mine for a long time."

Carly angled her head, studied the man she'd raised. "No, you're not nervous. You wouldn't be. I can see it in your eyes. You are completely sure of your choice." She reached for his hand, looked into his eyes. "I've never known you to be surer about anything else."

Morgan turned, studied his image in the mirror. "I've never been more certain about anything other than that I love Mattie and want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"And that was just what I wanted to hear."

Carly, Jax and Morgan turned toward the voice to see Patrick standing in the doorway. He walked in further. "I was just wondering if I could stop by and talk to Morgan for a minute." He turned to Jax, "you'd know what I mean, having daughters."

Jax nodded, a smile teasing at the edge of his mouth. "Yes. Yes, I do. Come along Carly. Let's go see if Rachel and Victoria are here yet." He firmly took his wife's arm and led her toward the door.

Carly tried to pull away. "Wait. Wait. Wait—"

"Come on, Dear. Let the man have a conversation with his soon-to-be son-in-law," Jax said coolly, quietly shutting the door behind them.

Patrick turned back to Morgan, waiting a moment until he was sure that Jax had convinced Carly to move away from the door. He put his hands up in a peaceful signal.

Morgan smiled, motioned to the low chairs situated in the corner. Patrick took a seat, waited for Morgan to do the same.

"I meant what I said before—about wanting to spend the rest of my life with Mattie," Morgan began as Patrick shook his head.

"I know. I don't doubt it. I never did. I'm just doing this because I feel it's necessary. Robin's father quizzed me on my wedding day, well, on both days," Patrick said with a smile. "I just wanted to make certain that you know how special my daughter is."

Morgan nodded gravely, knowing that what Patrick was doing was partly for show and partly because he was serious about making sure that his little girl was happy. "I love her. I've always loved her. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"I know. And I also know that she feels the same way about you," Patrick replied. "You know, Morgan. Mattie was only nineteen when her mother died. It wasn't unexpected; after all, Robin had been sick for years by then. But it still affected Mattie, as it should. She'd lost her mother, her base. I'd say that you sort of became that base, that solid fixture in her life. And for that I'm grateful."

Morgan nodded. "I'm glad that I could be there for her. And I will be there for her every day for the rest of my life. You don't have to worry, Dr. Drake." He cleared his throat, deciding that the formal name was appropriate for a grilling session.

Patrick's smile widened. "Now I've intimidated you. I never meant for that to happen. Mattie wouldn't like it." Then he tilted his head thoughtfully. "Maybe I did mean to intimidate you. Maybe I want you to know how special that woman is to me. You may not fully understand it now, but someday when you are facing the man who is about to marry your own daughter, you'll see where I'm coming from."

Morgan nodded. "I do see where you're coming from. I know that you love her. I love her too, more than anything. I will never do anything to intentionally hurt her."

"I know that you won't. She wouldn't let you. I raised my daughter to be strong, like her mother. She'll fight back before you strike the first blow," Patrick said, rising as he patted Morgan's shoulder.

Morgan smiled at the thought, knowing that what he said was correct. Mattie would be just as likely to strike first before anyone else had a chance.

Patrick walked to the door, opened it. "I'm happy to call you my son-in-law. And just to let you know, I'll expect some grandchildren in the next few years." He was gone before Morgan could say a word.

Morgan rose, went to shut the door, smiling at the image. He too hoped to have children with Mattie in the coming years.

But, he thought reasonably, let's just get through the wedding first before discussing kids.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

"Room for one more?"

Mattie turned away from the mirror toward the doorway where Lila Rae stood expectantly. She smiled, opened her arms. "Hey."

Lila went into them, careful of the dress. She blinked back tears, forcing herself to breath. She didn't need to upset Mattie on her wedding day. But Mattie heard her breath hitch.

Frowning, Mattie pulled back, held Lila at arm's length. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

Lila shook her head, unable to speak. Tears dropped down her cheeks. "Nothing. God, I'm so sorry. You don't need to deal with this today."

Mattie's look alone silenced her friend and she shook Lila slightly. "Stop. What are you talking about? What's wrong? Is it the baby? What?"

Lila shook her head. "No, no. I'm fine. The baby's fine. I'm just a little overwhelmed. I haven't seen you since before Christmas and well…" She held up her left hand, watched as the diamond glinted off the sunlight streaming in the window.

Mattie's eyes widened as she snatched up Lila's hand for a closer study. Then her eyes jumped to Lila's. "He proposed."

Lila nodded. "Yes, on Christmas Eve."

Mattie grinned. "Oh I'm so happy for you. You're engaged! You and Cam are getting married, that's so great!" Then she dropped Lila's hand, continued studying her face. "You _are_ happy, right?"

Lila sighed, moved away from Mattie, and paced the length of the room. "I-I don't know. I want to be happy but I still can't help but feel nervous. I love Cameron, I do, but I just don't want to hurt him."

"Lila, how could you hurt him? He loves you, you love him. You guys are having a baby together, for Pete's sake!" Mattie threw up her hands in exasperation. Then she stopped. "Lila, I know that you have some issues with relationships. But you are nothing like your mother. You love Cameron, he loves you. That should be enough for now."

Lila smiled. "How is it that you always make me feel better?" she reached over again, hugged her friend.

"Because that's what I'm trained to do. I'm a doctor. And I'm your friend, Lila. I love you and I want you to be happy."

"I am happy. And I just need to stop worrying about the small stuff," Lila said decidedly and studied her friend in the mirror. "And I do not need to be worrying about my stuff on today of all days. Holy hell, Mattie, you're getting married!"

Mattie grinned. "Yes, I'm getting married today and I am so excited. You like the dress?"

Lila's eyes widened as she ran her hand down the long skirt. "I _love _the dress. Oh, part of me wishes I wasn't pregnant so that I could wear a dress like this. I'd look like a blimp in it. I already made Cam promise that we get married before I get to that point."

Mattie laughed and hugged Lila again. "You can have whatever dress you want. You forget, my mom had her first wedding while she was pregnant with me. Her dress was classically cut and she was _nine_ months pregnant."

Lila shuddered. "That will _not_ be me. I won't get married when I'm nine months pregnant. I'm thinking at more like four or five months. But we will not discuss my wedding when yours is today, now. Who's doing your hair?" she ran a hand down Mattie long dark hair that was currently running straight down her back.

Mattie smiled, recognizing the change in topic. She'd get Lila to talk at one time or another. "Mackenzie. She and Molly ran back to the house to get some supplies. Maxie should be here any minute. She was going by the Quartermaine Mansion to pick up Georgie."

Lila angled her head. "I'd heard through the grape-vine that Dillon and Georgie were back together. I guess that sort of makes us relatives. Dillon being my cousin and Georgie being your aunt."

Mattie laughed just as there was a knock on the door. Lila moved to open it, smiling despite herself when she saw Cameron. "Hey."

"Hi. I was just seeing if you wanted to take a walk outside before the ceremony begins. It's about an hour and a half till." He grinned when he saw Mattie across the room. "You look pretty snazzy over there."

"Thanks. And congratulations. I heard about the engagement. Now go, get the mother-to-be off her feet," she replied with a smile. She made shooing motions with her hands.

Cam grinned, led Lila out of the room. Mattie shut the door behind them, thrilled that her friends were happy.

She turned back to the mirror, twirled a little bit for show. She was marrying the man of her dreams, her prince charming. And she had no second thoughts whatsoever. She couldn't have them, she thought, not after having loved him for so long. It just wasn't possible.

A second knock on her door made her turn. She walked to the door and remembering Molly's words, requested a name before she opened the door.

"It's me, Mattie. It's Dad," Patrick said from the other side of the door.

Mattie smiled, opened it, and went into her father's arms. "Hey Daddy."

"Hi there Princess. Or should I say queen?" He pulled her back, held her at arm's length. "You look so beautiful."

"Thanks Dad." She looked down, slightly embarrassed.

"Your mother would be so happy right now," Patrick began. Then he stopped, not sure how to continue.

Mattie reached for his hand, used her free one to tug the chain out from beneath the dress. Cradling the ring in her hand, she smiled at her father.

"I'd like to think that she's here today. She's close to me. I have a part of her."

Patrick nodded. "Yes, she's here. With us. And she would be so proud of you. As I am."

"Oh Daddy," Mattie began, but gave up and went into his arms.

"I just want you to be happy. I'm not going to lecture you and Morgan about making sure that he will support you because I know that you can support yourself. But you two belong together. I couldn't have chosen a better man for you, Mattie," Patrick finished, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you for that, Daddy. I love Morgan. And I am ready to become Dr. Drake-Corinthos."

He gave her one last smile before stepping out of the room. Mattie took a deep breath, clearing the emotion out of her body. She sat down at the little table to repair her makeup before the rest of her entourage arrived.

Smiling, she fixed her makeup, loving the way her ring caught the sunlight that streamed in the window. A glance at the wall clock told her that she had a little over an hour before the ceremony.

She pressed a hand to her stomach. It wasn't nerves that caused her jitters, she thought, it was pure adrenaline, excitement. She couldn't wait to marry Morgan and get a start of the next phase of her life.

Because it was turning out to be the best phase yet.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**So here's the first part of the wedding. Hoped you liked it. I especially liked the part of Morgan and Carly and then Morgan and Patrick. I feel that Patrick knows that his daughter is smart, beautiful, and well able to support herself. That being said, he doesn't really have to threaten him like Robert did when Patrick married Robin. So he does it mostly for show. I really wanted to portray Morgan and Mattie as nerve-free on their wedding day. Mattie's loved Morgan since she was a teenager and has been planning that she would marry him since her early twenties. Morgan has loved Mattie since she was in late high school or early college. They have no second-guesses about getting married because they are so sure about their love for each other. Thanks for reading! As always, I appreciate reviews. Enjoy!**


	52. Mattie and Morgan's Wedding Part 2

Mattie turned away from the mirror when she heard yet another knock on the door. "Who is it?" she called out, not rising from the vanity.

"It's Maxie and Georgie," Maxie said as she opened the door and stepped inside. Indeed it was her and Georgie, followed by the rest of their entourage.

"I saw Dad in the hall," Mackenzie said as she came to fiddle with a few stray pieces of Mattie's hair. "He said that you were nearly ready."

Mattie smiled, nodded. "Yes, I'm so ready."

"But not quite put together," Maxie said, reaching in her monstrous bag to pull out a box. "Tradition."

Mattie rolled her eyes. "Can't have bad luck on my wedding day."

"Of course not," Georgie said, handing Mattie a small box. "Here's the something blue. It's my understanding that your mother wore them on her wedding day. They were mine…from before."

Mattie took the box, her eyes tearing up as she opened it to study the blue sapphire earrings. "They're beautiful."

"Uncle Mac gave them to me on my high school graduation. Maxie just gave them back to me today. I thought that it was appropriate for you to wear them," Georgie replied, her own eyes leaking tears.

"Oh Georgie," Mattie breathed, moving to hug her aunt. "Thank you, so much."

"Now me. Here's the something borrowed," Maxie said, handing Mattie a second jewelry box. When Mattie opened it, she continued, "I wore the pendant on my wedding day. It was from Spinelli. I think it will suit your dress."

"Suit? Oh my God, Maxie. It's gorgeous. Who knew that Spinelli had such taste in jewelry?" Mattie replied, taking the necklace out of its box and allowing her sister to put it on her.

Maxie smiled. "I thought that very same thing, almost twenty years ago. And your tiara serves as something new, so that just leaves the something old." She glanced at Mattie, then Georgie, a smile lifting her lips.

"That's my cue, I believe," said a familiar voice from behind them. Maxie smiled wider as Mattie whipped around to face her grandmother.

"Grandma!" she squealed, moving as quickly as her dress allowed her into Anna's arms.

Anna squeezed her granddaughter, mindful of the beautiful dress. "Oh my beautiful girl." She leaned back to see the full-length image. "You are so beautiful."

Mattie, still not believing that her grandmother was here, in Port Charles, at her wedding, could barely speak. "But what are you doing here?"

Anna smiled wider, placing a gentle kiss on Mattie's cheek. "Do you think that I would miss my eldest granddaughter's wedding? Never in a million years." She turned to the other women. "Do you mind? I'll help our girl fix her makeup and catch up on a little girl-talk."

"No, no. We'll just be in the other room. Let us know when you are ready to go," Maxie answered for everyone, leading Georgie and Mackenzie out of the room.

Anna caught her youngest granddaughter as she left the room. "We will have to catch up as well, Mackenzie Mae. Soon."

Mackenzie nodded, placing a kiss on her grandmother's cheek. "Definitely. But first we have a wedding." She shut the door behind herself and then Anna and Mattie were alone.

Anna turned back to Mattie, hugging her again before leading her back to the vanity. "Come. Let's tidy that face. Your hair looks decent. Your sister did a good job on it, I'd say."

Mattie, soothed by the familiar briskness of Anna's English accent, still had a hard time believing that Anna had made it to Port Charles. "But how—you said that you were busy."

Anna smiled, brushing rouge over Mattie's cheeks. "I was busy, but my business was wrapped up quickly enough. Doing consulting work with the WSB isn't nearly as fun as being in the action, but it pays the bills. And keeps me from total boredom. Now enough about me. Tell me about you."

Mattie blew out a breath. "What's there to tell? I'm getting married to the love of my life." She shook her head. "I still don't see how you can still work at your age."

Anna laughed, reapplying the mascara. "I may be old, but I'm as spry as I was twenty-five years ago. And it's not like I'm really working. I'm teaching, for Pete's sake."

"Well I'm so glad that you are here. I can't have my mom, but I can at least have my grandma." Mattie put a hand over Anna's.

"Your mom so wished that she made it to see this day. She was so proud of you," Anna said. Then she grinned. "And she always knew that you would marry Morgan Corinthos."

Mattie smiled then. "Yes, she did. Even when I doubted it, she always knew." She brushed a tear from her eye.

Anna frowned, and patted Mattie's shoulder. "No more tears. Today is a happy day! Robin would want you to be happy."

"I know." She took a deep breath. "Okay, I think that I'm good. In fact, I'm ready to get married." She glanced at the clock; saw that it was almost time for the ceremony to start.

"Oh wait. Not before I give you the something old," Anna said, moving quickly to her pack to dig out a box. "I know that you have a tiara for your head, but I thought that these would work well with your updo." She opened the box, turning it so Mattie could see the delicate jeweled hair combs.

Mattie covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh Grandma. They're so beautiful."

Anna smiled. "They belonged to a very good friend of mine…and your mother's. Filomena brought these from Italy when she was a bride. I would think that she would want you to have them."

Mattie smiled. "Thank you. Will you put them in for me?"

Anna nodded, tears filling her eyes as she slipped the combs in around the hair that Mackenzie had worked so hard to do. Then she dropped her hands, kissing Mattie's cheek. "You look so beautiful. Morgan isn't going to believe his eyes when he sees you coming down that aisle."

Mattie took a breath, rose, arranging her dress so that it flowed nicely. "I hope so. Okay, I'm ready. Let's go get married."

Anna smiled, went to open the door, and motioned to Maxie who gave a thumbs up sign. "We're ready!"

Mattie took her bouquet from her sister who was her maid-of-honor. She followed Anna and Maxie down the hall toward the sanctuary where music was pouring out.

As she took her position in front of the closed doors, her father stepped up to meet her. "Hello beautiful."

"Hi Daddy. I'm ready."

Patrick smiled, kissing her cheek. "Good. So am I and so is Morgan." He nodded to Maxie who opened the doors just as the organ switched to the wedding march.

Mackenzie went first, moving slowly down the aisle. When she'd reached the front of the church, Mattie took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing_, she thought, glancing at her father and taking a step.

She wouldn't remember the walk down the aisle later. All she saw was Morgan's shining eyes watching her every move. Somehow she managed to get the front of the church where Morgan took her hand.

She smiled as her father kissed her cheek and took his seat next to her grandmother. Morgan turned to her, smiling. "Hello gorgeous," he murmured for her ears alone.

She took another breath as they both turned to Father Coates who cleared his throat and spoke. "We are gathered here today to witness the union between Morgan Stone Corinthos and Matilda Filomena Scorpio-Drake, who are here today to pledge their love and commitment."

Father Coates took a breath, opened his little book. "Marriage is a union of faith, commitment, love, and pain. It takes two people who are strong enough to weather the good and the bad. It is important that we are here today to act as witnesses to this union in hopes that it will be long and fruitful." He turned, faced Morgan. "I understand that you have each written your own vows. Would you like to go first, Morgan?"

Morgan nodded, gripped Mattie's hand. He only had eyes for her. "Mattie. I have never met another woman like you. You are generous, beautiful, hardworking, loyal and most of all, one of a kind. I stand here today to tell you that I have loved you since you were a teenager. I tried to ignore it, but you were persistent. You believed that we were meant together and now, look at us. I promise to love you for as long as I live, to be with you, and to support you in all that you accomplish. I love you and will always love you."

Mattie wiped a tear from her eye as the priest turned to her. "Mattie, you have words for Morgan?"

She nodded, faced the love of her life. "My words are short. I have loved you since I was too young to really know what love was. You taught me what it meant and how it felt. You were always there for me, when I graduated from high school, college and medical school. And you were there for some of the darkest days of my life, reminding me why I needed to keep going. I thank you for that and so much more. I love you with my whole heart and am so looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you."

"With these words in our hearts, we watch this union form with the hope that it will be created tightly enough to withstand even the hardest of pull," Father Coates said. "Do you have the rings?"

Morgan took the rings from Cameron, who was standing in as his best man. He took Mattie's hand as the Priest spoke again.

"Do you Morgan Stone Corinthos promise to love, cherish, and honor this woman until death do you part?"

"I do." Morgan slid the diamond band on Mattie's finger.

"And do you, Matilda Filomena Scorpio-Drake promise to love, cherish and honor this man till death do you part?"

"I do." Mattie did the same with Morgan's ring.

Father Coates turned back to the audience. "Then by the power of God and the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Morgan pulled Mattie to him, lowering his head to hers as he captured her lips with his. The entire church was filled with thunderous applause as Mattie and Morgan broke apart and turned back down the aisle, this time as husband and wife.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**I hope that you enjoyed the second part of the wedding. I also hope that it lived up to your hopes. Again, this story is coming down to the end. I will have two epilogue chapters after this one. Look for them tomorrow and the following day. Enjoy! And please review!**


	53. Epilogue Part 1

**June 2039 – **

Lila pushed herself up from the rocking chair. It was nearly five o'clock and Cameron would be home soon. She had a funny feeling in her stomach and really wanted him with her.

Sucking in a quick breath, she put a hand on her bulging belly. She was two weeks from her due date, although Mattie had said that the baby could come any day. It seemed to her like Baby was choosing today as that day.

She tried to breathe through the pain like the Lamaze classes had taught her, but panic was beginning to build and it was getting harder and harder to remember the techniques. God, where was Cameron when she needed him?

When the pain began to slowly subside, she managed to take a few steps across the room. Walking was good for the pain, wasn't it? But despite her slight panic, she was excited. There was something about the idea of in a few hours, she would be holding her child in her arms.

It was exhilarating.

She still laughed at herself. A year ago, she would have never thought twice about settling down and having children. But then she and Cameron became involved and then she got pregnant. Sure, maybe the process was a little faster than she'd ever planned, but it still led her to the same place: marriage and motherhood.

After she'd finally agreed to marry him, after he'd proved that he truly loved her, her life was perfect. And the arrival of their little miracle made it even more wonderful.

Lila closed her eyes and reached out a hand to the couch to steady herself as the pain came back. She remembered to time the contraction and saw that they were happening about every three minutes. She knew that it was coming closer.

She fought back the urge to panic, to worry. She needed to stay calm for herself and her baby. She rubbed her stomach, murmuring. "It's okay, baby. Just stay in there a little longer. Just until Daddy comes home. Please, do it for Mommy."

Just then the door to their apartment opened and she opened her eyes as Cameron stepped inside. He was about to say something when he saw the way she was rubbing her stomach and breathing carefully.

He crossed to her in three steps. "Lila?" He put a hand to her shoulders, rubbing the tension out of them.

She visibly relaxed simply because of his presence. "Hey," she managed, blowing out a breath. "How was work?"

His eyes darkened with concern. "Work was fine. What's wrong? Is it the baby? Are you in labor?" He ran his hands over her belly just as she felt that familiar tightening begin.

Her breath came out in a _whoosh_ this time. She could only nod. "I think so. I've been having contractions off and on all day, but—"

He cut her off, "why didn't you call me? I would have come home early." He pulled her to him and she tried to take strength from him.

"It was too soon earlier. There was nothing you could have done. Although, I'm really, really glad that you are home no—" she sucked in her breath again as she felt that pain begin to build again. "They're coming closer together," she managed, around the pain.

"Okay, we are going to the hospital. Where's your bag?" he asked, helping her walk across the room toward the door. She motioned the pink bag she'd set beside the door earlier that afternoon. He smiled. "Prepared, are we?"

"Always."

As they made their way out into the hall and toward the elevator, he helped her breath through the contractions, his energy already calming her. By the time they were at the car, she felt like she could do anything.

They arrived at the hospital five minutes later and Mattie was already waiting. She smiled as she reached in to help Lila out of the car. "Baby's impatient?"

She nodded. "Very. I'm glad that you were here already." She allowed herself to be placed in a wheelchair and within minutes, she was in a hospital gown already ensconced in the delivery room.

Mattie looked up from between Lila's legs, where she'd been checking the progress. "Good thing you got here when you did. This baby's in a hurry."

Cameron gripped her hands as he felt Lila tense up again. Mattie stood and disposed of her gloves. "I will be right back. I just have to check one thing. Don't do anything until I'm back."

Cameron leaned down to Lila. "You're almost there, Lila. I love you more than ever. You are going to be a great mother."

She smiled and gripped his hand like a lifeline. "And you will be the best daddy any child could ask for." Then her face contorted. "Get Mattie!"

A nurse dashed out and Lila felt a funny sensation. She wanted to push so badly! Finally Mattie appeared. "Impatient. I said to wait. We are all ready. Okay Lila, when I tell you, I want you to push, okay? Push as hard as you can!"

Lila grunted and did as asked. She pushed until she was breathless. Cameron watched as the love of his life delivered the most beautiful gift he'd ever received. Lila cried out and fell back against the bed as pulsing cries filled the air. He had to wipe his eyes as Mattie handed him the scissors to cut the cord. "It's a girl!"

Even Mattie had tears in her eyes as she worked to help clean Lila up and make her presentable.

Much later, the little family had the room to themselves. Lila lay on the bed, exhausted, yet full of energy. She stared down the gorgeous infant in her arms in awe.

"I can't believe she's ours!" Cam's voice was full of emotion. He reached out a hand and touched the baby's clenched fist. When their little girl gripped his finger, they both smiled.

"She's strong like her Daddy," Lila said, "she'll stand up for what she believes in."

"And she had a heart of gold like her mommy," Cameron added. "She'll root for the underdog." He leaned over and caught his wife's lips with his. "Thank you Lila. Thank you for the gift of our little girl. I love you both and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that the both of you are safe."

"Same here," Lila replied, her voice thick. She felt herself becoming drowsy. "Here, take the baby. I'm so tired."

He accepted the child and simply stared. Lila watched him with tired eyes, knowing that her little girl couldn't have a better father. "Welcome home baby girl."

Cameron looked over at his wife, then back at his daughter. "Welcome home Megan Elizabeth Spencer."

And what a grand welcoming it was.

* * * * *

**July 2039 – **

Mattie strode purposefully down the hall toward Examination Room 1. She was in a hurry today…in a hurry to supply some happy news to the most deserving couple. This was the second best part of her job, the first being actually delivering babies. She so enjoyed seeing that joy wash over the faces prospective parents as they revel over the fact that together they created something wonderful.

She stopped in front of the room, making certain to compose her face, hide her smile. Giving a courtesy knock, she turned the knob and stepped inside. Spencer and Miranda Cassadine both turned as she shut the door. Miranda was sitting on the table and had Spencer's hand held tightly in hers.

Mattie smiled slightly and sat in the chair across from the couple. "I have good news, guys!"

Miranda gasped and looked at Spencer then back at Mattie. "I'm pregnant?"

Mattie nodded. "Yes. You are most definitely pregnant. I will have to do an ultrasound to find out how far along you are, but the blood and urine tests were conclusive. Congratulations!"

Miranda turned slightly and was caught in the arms of her husband. Mattie looked on as the couple embraced. "I'm having a nurse bring in the ultrasound machine and I'll do it now." Then she sobered as she couple broke apart. "I'm not saying that this will be an easy road. I've seen your chart, Miranda. I believe that you _can _carry this baby to term and deliver a healthy child, but it won't be easy. It may require bed rest or extensive testing. But I am giving you my word. I will do everything in my power to make certain that you deliver a healthy baby."

Spencer and Miranda both nodded. "Thanks Mattie."

She shook her head. "You can thank me on d-day." A nurse popped her head inside the room and wheeled in the ultrasound machine. "Thanks, Nurse Jacoby."

Spencer moved to near Miranda's head as she lay back on the table. She pulled up her shirt and pulled down her jeans slightly. Mattie squirted the jelly on her stomach and picked up the wand.

She moved it around, smiling when a loud thumping sound filled the room. "That's your baby's heartbeat. Very strong, very nice."

Miranda reached for Spencer's hand. "It's so fast. Is it supposed to be like that?"

"Yes, it's supposed to be rapid." Mattie moved the wand around a bit more. "Look!" She pointed at a little gray blob on the screen. "That's your baby."

Miranda glanced at Spencer who gripped her hand tighter. "Wow. Look Spencer, that's our child."

He nodded, unable to speak but leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead. It was a moment he'd been afraid would never come true. "I know," he said finally.

"From the size of the fetus, I'd say that you are about 10 weeks along. That along with the menstruation information you gave me earlier puts your do date at January 4th. You'll have a New Years baby!" Mattie replied happily. She finished her examination and pushed the button to print the photos from the ultrasound. She then wiped Miranda's stomach off as the pictures printed out from a little printer on the cart.

"I'll leave you guys for a few minutes. Miranda, you are already taking your vitamins so just keep that up. I will need to see you in a month for your next checkup. Just call my office and schedule an appointment. Again, I am so thrilled for you. If anyone deserves happy news like this, it's you guys," Mattie said as she walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.

When they were alone, Miranda turned to her husband of only two months. "Can you believe it?"

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," Spencer answered, leaning in and capturing her mouth with his. The kiss deepened and Miranda savored the moment.

"I still can't believe that I'm actually pregnant. After the miscarriage last winter and not knowing if I'd ever become pregnant." She took his face in her hand. "You've changed me, Spence."

"In a good way, I hope."

"In the best way. Just think! In six and a half months, we are going to be holding this little miracle in our arms. Nothing could be more perfect," she answered, staring at the snowy image on the photo.

"I love you Miranda Montgomery-Cassadine."

"I love you too, Spencer."

She slipped her hand into his as she hopped off the table. "Let's go home, Spencer."

"Sounds good." He opened the door for her and together they walked down the hall and out of the hospital.

It was the beginning of a beautiful family.

* * * * *

**August 2039-**

Georgie stepped out into the sweltering hot sunshine of summer in lower Manhattan. She'd just come from being de-briefed over her latest mission which involved a two-week stint in Mexico. But now she was home for an extended period of time.

And she had no intention of waiting around at the WSB headquarters.

She smiled when she saw the tall, dark and handsome man walking toward her, with a tall, willowy blonde at his side. There was a small place in her heart that tweaked at the sight because it reminded her of another time, a different set of people.

She squared her shoulders and focused on the present. If giving up her ruse had taught her one thing, it was that while it was important not to forget the past and to learn from it, it was even more important to focus on the future and what you have rather than what you lacked.

She'd lost a very important part of her heart, but in turn had gained the love of Dillon Quartermaine. While her vision of her own child was forever painted in her heart, she'd been given the chance to watch and know Dillon's gorgeous daughter.

It allowed her to indulge in a way that had been stolen from her far too soon.

"Georgie!" Alex called and waved her hands excitedly as she and Dillon got closer. Georgie smiled, waving in return and picking up her step.

Dillon caught her in a hug and dropped a light kiss on her lips. Beside them, Alex grinned. She was thrilled that her father had found love and was even more thrilled to have a woman like Georgie in her life. It wasn't that she didn't love her mother, Alex reasoned, but Starr lacked Georgie's sense of adventure and her experience. Alex was happy to say that she had two women who she both loved and respected in her life.

Dillon and Georgie broke apart, a longing look in his eyes. It had been too long since he'd seen her, but he understood that she was just doing her job. It was something that they had to live with. The hardest part about her job was the danger. Dillon hated the fact that he was afraid every time she went out on a mission. But he loved her and he trusted her to come back with him.

"So are we ready?" Dillon said, hooking an arm around both of his women. He still pinched himself sometimes, worried that his life with Georgie was just a dream.

Georgie nodded. "We are. Oh God, I'm so glad to be back. I love what I do, but sometimes I feel like I'm getting too old for it."

"We missed you. The mansion wasn't the same without you," Alex added, grinning at her soon-to-be-stepmother. Georgie lifted her hand, studying the glinting ring on her finger. It still amazed her to think that she was about to marry the first man she'd ever loved.

"Having second thoughts?" Dillon asked gently. Georgie turned, smiling, and shook her head.

"Never. What are we doing today?" she focused on Alex now.

"Well, Dad and I wanted to have lunch at this little Jewish deli we saw near the hotel. But we thought that you could meet us there then you could go do your errand."

Dillon frowned. "What errand?"

Alex shrugged her shoulders and Georgie shook her head. "Oh it's just a little errand. I will only be a little while. I need to stop and buy some flowers first though."

Then it dawned on him. "Oh, sure. We'll meet you in an hour. You know where it is?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yes." Then moved closer to him. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. It's just something I do when I'm in the city. Alex asked me about it a couple of weeks ago. That's why she knows what I'm talking about."

He nodded and turned to his daughter. "Ready?"

She nodded, and then looked surprised. "Oh! I almost forgot." She reached into the big bag on her shoulder and pulled out a wrapped gift. Handing it to Georgie, she smiled. "I think this is something you'll like."

Georgie looked surprised, but didn't get the chance to respond as Alex was pulling Dillon down the street. She stuck the gift in her bag and walked to a street vendor standing a few feet away. She purchased two bouquets of daisies and hurried to hail a cab.

Within ten minutes, the cab let her out in front of the quiet little cemetery. It had always amused her that in the hustle and bustle of the big city, there was this somber little bit of land.

She'd spent many hours on this silent land. Many hours of crying and bargaining, of wondering what if. Now she could walk here, move across the closely cut grass and gentle sloping flowerbeds, and not feel as if she was falling apart. It had taken time, years of time, but now she'd accepted that a fatal mistake had taken her family away and even though she'd been involved, it wasn't her fault.

That had been the hardest thing to come to terms with.

But now she knew that nothing she could have done differently would have changed the outcome.

Georgie stopped walking, closed her eyes, and shook off the memory. She hadn't come here to cry. She wouldn't let herself cry, she'd done that too much already. She took a deep breath and moved on, toward the far corner of the cemetery.

Somewhere in the haze of those first few days following her family's deaths, she'd managed to pick the plots in the cemetery. They were at the far end, in a little alcove that was shaded by the tall willow tree. It was a truly beautiful spot, gorgeous in all times of the year.

The plots were side-by-side. It was appropriate, she believed, for her husband and her daughter to be together forever. She knelt down in front of the two sun-warmed stones. Removing the dead bouquets, she replaced them with the sunny tulips. She ran a hand over her husband's name.

"I'm sorry, for not visiting in so long. I've been busy. With work and with— my family." She took a deep breath. "You'd never guess that the ruse is up. It happened so quickly that I couldn't think. And now, I'm so, so happy. I never thought that I could, but now. I want you to know that, both of you. I will never forget you. I will never stop missing you, loving you. But I want you to know that I'm finally happy."

Georgie closed her eyes, touched a hand to the engraved angel on Amelia's headstone. "I love you Baby Girl. I love you so much. You would have loved Alex. She's sassy and smart and so wonderful. Just like you."

Her voice broke and she willed back the tears. She knew that Dante would have wanted her to be happy. They'd talked about it once, about what would happen if one of them had died. They'd both agreed that they'd want the other to move on, to fall in love, to marry. To have a future.

Georgie took another breath, pushed herself to her feet. With a final pray skyward, she turned, moved out of the cemetery.

She did, after all, have a future to get to.

*** * * * * **

**Okay, so here's the first installment of my epilogue. Just to let my faithful readers know, there will not be a sequel to this story, seeing as the entire story is a bit of a sequel to the actual show. I am chewing over a few over **_**General Hospital**_** story ideas. Please stay tuned for the final installment for my **_**GH: Second Generation**_** story. **


	54. Epilogue Part 2

**August 2039 – **

As she sat in the backseat of the yellow cab in the bustling crowd of downtown New York, Georgie scrubbed the tears from her face. She didn't want to cause Dillon or Alex any concern; even though she knew she already had it.

It was odd, she thought, to have someone worry about you.

Especially when you'd spent so much time worrying about someone else.

It was a nice feeling, to leave the worry in someone else's hands. She reached into her cavernous bag, digging for her compact mirror. When she found it and was satisfied that her face was no different than when she'd left Dillon and Alex, she replaced it. As she did, her hand brushed over the wrapped package.

She frowned now, drawing it out and studying it. It was small, square, and wrapped with care. She saw Alex's precise tapping folding. Curious, she used a finger to slip open the side.

It was a jewelry box. Simple, black velvet. Her gaze fell to the brilliant diamond on her finger. It was a promise from Dillon, a promise to love her forever, to be with her forever.

But this gift was clearly from Alex. Georgie opened the box, stared at the silver locket nestled on the foam. It looked old, she thought, as she took out the locket and opened it. Her breath caught and she felt the tear gather again.

Inside the tiny antiquity was an even smaller photo. Running her finger over her daughter's face, she smiled. Leave it to Alex to think of a gift like this one. It was just one more thing she loved about her soon-to-be-stepdaughter.

She clipped the locket around her neck, repaired her face just as the cab slowed in front of the little Jewish deli where her future was waiting. Georgie fished out some money, paid the cabbie and hurried to the door of the deli.

Even as her hand touched the handle, she saw them sitting together. Her family now. She'd had another family once, briefly. And now she was given a second chance.

She was, by God, going to take it.

Without wasting another moment, she pulled open the door, stepped inside and walked over to the table. "Hey," she said, dropping into a chair opposite father and daughter.

"Hi! Did you get your errand finished?" Alex asked, slanting her father a look.

Georgie smiled. "I did. Thank you. And now I'm starved. Did you already order?" She reached for the menu, knowing that one had to order at the counter at this particular deli. She perused her options, settling on a corned beef sandwich with French fries. She looked at Dillon. "Why don't you go order for us?"

Dillon glanced at his daughter, who kept her eyes averted. Then back at his fiancé. Then nodded, "sure, I'll be right back."

When he'd disappeared around the corner, Georgie turned to Alex. She touched a hand to the locket, smiling. "Thank you."

Alex smiled, looked relieved. "I'm so happy that you like it. I wasn't sure." She kept her gaze from Georgie, fingered her napkin.

"I love it. I've never received something so special."

"I-I saw the picture on the table by your bed. I thought that you might like something so that you could keep her with you," Alex replied. She looked at Georgie, smiling now.

"Thank you." Georgie cocked her head. "You and Amelia would have gotten along well. You are very alike."

"You're not sad anymore. You can talk about—about your family—and not be sad."

Georgie nodded, seeing the same old insight in this girl as she'd seen in her own girl. "Yes, I've come to terms with it. I had a wonderful life with them, but now, my life is just as wonderful."

"I'm glad that you are with my dad. He's happy in a way that I've never seen before," Alex said.

"I'm so glad that I got a second chance. But I'm glad that you are here. Because being able to see you is a little like seeing what Amelia would have been like," Georgie replied, reaching over to clasp Alex's hand.

Alex's smile widened. "So this is the future?"

Georgie nodded, just as Dillon came back with a tray of food. "Yes, this is the future." She turned to take the tray from him and grinned back at Alex.

And what a beautiful future it was.

* * * * *

**September 2039 – **

Rachel Jax pulled herself into her office. While her clock read half past six, her body believed that it was well into the night. She was exhausted. Exhilarated, but exhausted.

She was a success.

She'd built her dream from the ground up, all by herself, and she had achieved everything she'd ever imagined.

But, oh God, it was tiring.

Even so, she couldn't believe how wonderful her opening day had been. _Lady's Court_ was a success. She knew it even before the final numbers came in. A packed house in store and ten-thousand hits on the website made it easy enough to judge, she thought.

It surprised her, she admitted. She knew that she would be a success, but it was surprising to actually see it happening.

"Up for a little company?"

Rachel looked up to see her mother standing in the doorway. She smiled. "Only if it's you. Would you like anything to drink? Eat?" She rose to walk to the little refrigerator even as Carly waved her back.

"Sit. I can get it. You've been on your feet for a good sixteen hours, I'd think." She took two bottles of water out of the fridge and tossed one to Rachel, who caught it handedly.

Carly sat across from Rachel's desk, smiling at her clearly exhausted daughter. "You need to get some sleep. You have to be back here tomorrow. Opening day is one thing but reality is entirely another." She took a sip of her water.

Rachel angled her head. "How did you do it?"

"Do what, Darling?"

"Be Dad's wife, our mother, run the hotel. You're like superwoman," Rachel commented, opening her own water bottle.

Carly laughed out loud. "Far from it. I had fun. I loved being a mother and I truly enjoy being part-owner of such a gorgeous hotel. Its fun for me to see how things work, the behind the scenes."

"I'm seeing that now." She spread her arms to enunciate. "Here, in my own place, my own business. I'm really enjoying it."

"I can see that. You are much happier than you ever were at ELQ," Carly replied.

"There I was just another share-holder. Here, I'm the boss. I like being in charge. I like being my own success." She smiled at her mother. "You and Dad taught me that—how to be a success."

Carly smiled, but shook her head. "Oh no. We taught you to follow your heart, dream big and work hard. You learned how to be a success all on your own."

"Thanks for that. For believing in me," Rachel said, rising and moving to hug her mother.

Carly grinned, squeezing Rachel. "Always. Your father and I want you all to be successes in whatever you do."

Rachel pulled back and grinned. "I like to think that I am."

And for the first time in her life, she felt that her own dream had paid off in spades.

**GH*GH*GH*GH*GH**

**October 2039 – **

"I think that this house suits us," Mattie commented as she creamed off her makeup. She'd had a late night at the hospital and was getting ready for bed at nearly ten o'clock.

Morgan stood in the bathroom doorway, watching her. He grinned when she lifted her eyes to meet his in the mirror. "You have a little—" he touched his own cheek to demonstrate the cream that was still on her face.

She rolled her eyes, grabbing a washcloth to wipe her face. "But, really. You _do_ like the house, don't you?"

Morgan sobered, crossing to her. He lifted her chin up with his hand. "I love it. It was the right decision. We can't be living in my old little apartment forever." He dropped a kiss lightly on her lips. "Especially if we are thinking of the future."

She turned, finished wiping her eyes and face. Reaching for her toothbrush, she stilled. Her eyes once again met his in the mirror. "The future?"

Morgan shrugged. "You know, kids, the dog on the porch, the white picket fence, the whole enchilada."

She turned fully this time. "Kids?" her voice squeaked at the end.

Morgan frowned. "Yeah. I thought that you wanted kids. I know that we didn't really talk about it before the—"

She cut him off with a shake of her head. "Of course I want kids. I just wasn't sure when, or how to bring up the topic with you."

Morgan frowned, moving to brush a hand down her hair. "You can talk about anything with me. You know that."

She side-stepped him, and squeezed toothpaste on her toothbrush. The room was silent for several minutes as she brushed her teeth. She kept her eyes down; not wanting to see what was in Morgan's.

When she was finished, and had tidied up the room, he took her hand, pulled her into the bedroom. "Mattie, sit down. Tell me what's wrong."

She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing's wrong." She rose, paced the room.

Morgan watched her, mystified. She didn't usually act evasive. "Mattie. Are you all right?"

She stopped, took a breath. "Yes, I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting to talk about kids."

"Do you have anything against them?"

"No, no. I like kids," she replied quickly.

"Good. Because I've been thinking about them a lot lately. Ever since Lila had Megan. It made me want one of my own. I know we said that we would wait until we'd been married for a while, but I have just been thinking," Morgan said, still watching her.

She smiled, thinking about how good he'd been with her friend's little girl. "That's good…because I've been thinking too. About kids."

"And…" he grabbed her hand, tugged her down on the bed with him.

She sat, stared at her hands until Morgan caught her chin to draw her eyes to his. "I've been thinking about kids for the last few weeks actually. I just didn't know how to tell you."

He frowned. "Tell me what? That—" It was as if a light switched on in his face. "You—are you trying to tell me that you're pregnant?"

She sucked in a breath, smiled slightly. And nodded. "Yes, that is what I'm trying to tell you."

He grinned now, wider than she'd ever seen it. Jumping up and pulling her with him, he crushed her in a hug, turning in a circle that had her feet coming off the ground. Then he stopped, looked at her. "Are you okay?"

She smiled, patted his cheek. "I'm fine. The baby's fine. Everything's as it should be. I've already seen Kelly to be sure."

"How long have you known?"

She looked down again, not wanting to tell him the truth, but knowing that he had the right. "A month."

"And you didn't think that I'd like to know?"

His tone had her berating herself. "I'm sorry. It's just we hadn't really talked about kids in detail and the baby wasn't planned. I-I—"

He took her hands, hating the guilt he'd put in her eyes. "Mattie, I love you. Yes, I want kids, only if they are yours. It's the right time." He put a hand on her stomach, used his other to motion to the room. "Look at us. We have a house, a picket fence. And as soon as possible, I think we should look about getting a dog. All we need is a baby. And we're half-way there."

She smiled now, closing her eyes. She was glad that the truth was out.

Morgan pulled her against him, kissed the top of her head. "You've been beating yourself up about this, haven't you? Worrying about what I would say."

"You know me so well," she murmured, rubbing her eyes. It was way past her bedtime and fact that she had to be back at the hospital at nine made her think even more about going to sleep.

"Of course I do. I love you Dr. Corinthos. More than life itself. Our baby just makes it better."

"I'm glad to hear you say that. It's a relief," she yawned now.

Morgan turned her so that he could kiss her properly. "I love you Mattie and because I love you and our baby, I'm thinking that I should tuck the both of you in bed. You've had a busy day." He lifted her into his arms, laid her down as he pulled back the covers.

"So have you," she pulled him down on the bed, scooted over to allow him room. "I heard about your big case today. The hospital was filled with gun-shot wounds. I was, however, relieved to not find you among them."

"That I did." He kissed her again, pulling her to him, flipping off the light with his free hand. When they were in the dark room, he spoke again, "you made the the happiest man on earth the day you walked down that aisle. But now, I'd say today rivals it. I love you Mattie. And I promise that I will be a good father to our baby."

"I know that you will. You had many great mentors," she whispered, closing her eyes as sleep claimed her.

He smiled again, kissing her lightly as he too fell toward sleep.

She was happy that Morgan was glad about the baby. She knew that it had been stupid to doubt for a second that he would be anything less than thrilled. She also knew that it was a sort of new beginnings for her, for her life with Morgan, for her family. A baby was just what they needed to move into a new phase of life. A life without sadness and heartache. Without the sorrow of loss.

She knew that her life was full where it had once lacked a crucial part. The loss of her mother had burned her, but she'd moved past it to a life and family of her own.

And this new life was proving to be brighter and clearer than ever before.

**Okay, this is the end of an era for this version of the future of General Hospital. I can say that there will be others unrelated to this one. I hope that you enjoyed the saga and I thank all of my faithful readers—especially those who reviewed so religiously. I am happy where this story ended and I hope that you are too. Thanks again!**


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